2010

This year was certainly filled with its share of joy and despair.  Watching Natalie start the year just knowing how to sit up and ending the year as a full blown toddler, running all over the place has brought tremendous happiness and joy. I never knew how much one little person could bring into my life.  My heart overflows with love for her and all she has to be is herself.

This year also brought sadness in losing Oliver and taught me so much about the true meaning of love and how we can lose things so quickly.  My very being was transformed, but in that transformation came love I never knew existed. Through this pain, I've grown as a mother. I knew the extent of a mother's love when Natalie was born, but it was in losing Oliver that the true bond was revealed to me. 

I end this year pregnant again and the love for my son is already evident and the bond unbreakable.  I never imagined I would be pregnant twice in one year and endure the heartache I've been through. While I would never want to endure the pain of this year again, there were also many joys intertwined within this year.  It was certainly a year of growth and one that changed my life forever. 

This year was well captured and every photo is a reminder of how much happiness I have in my life.  I can't imagine not having these photos of Natalie over the year and half she has been in our life.  Each photo transports me back to that memory and I relive a little bit of that in one glance. 

January brought travels back from visiting family, long winter walks, celebrating my 27th birthday and finding out we were expecting a second little one.   

 February brought a visit from my sister, more long winter walks and the early stages of pregnancy.

 

March brought crawling, my second trimester and strong heartbeat, and the world of solid foods.

 

April brought spring, bluebonnets, Natalie's first tooth, and a sense of rebirth and contentment. 

 

May brought beautiful weekend walks, some of Natalie's first words, and my first Mother's day. 

It also brought sadness, heartbreak, and complete shift of my perfect, happy world. 

 

June brought the beginnings of a life not pregnant, but the joy of watching Natalie enjoy the early summer.

And also brought long summer days in the pool and outside and a visit from Nana. 

  And brought celebrations, including Natalie's first birthday and our 5 year anniversary. 

July brought a trip to visit family, many swings at the park, and hot summer days. 

 

August brought a full blown walker, weekend walks, and time spent at the park.

September brought a positive pregnancy test and Natalie becoming more of a toddler.

October brought pumpkin patches, fall walks, and Natalie using her spoon.

It also brought my due date and a glimpse of our newest little one at 8 weeks. 

 

It brought Natalie's second Halloween and the cutest little black cat. 

 

November brought my second trimester, Natalie's first cold and a more cuddly little girl.

 

It also brought fall walks, Natalie mastering the fork and a joyous Thanksgiving. 

December brought back contentment to my life, watching Natalie enjoy the magic of Christmas and partaking in all that the season had to offer.

It brought an expanding belly, an amazing glimpse of our little one, finding out we are having a boy and that he is perfect. 

 

It brought a beautiful Christmas and filled all of our lives with happiness.

It brought the close of the year, a time to reflect on everything that happened over the previous months. 

We ended the year watching the sunset over the ocean, with our little family of four. Remembering how far we had come this year and what we lost, yet gained through love.  

I wish everyone a happy 2011 and hope that it is filled with joy!