2009 recap

What a year 2009 has been!  It has had many highs and lows and all of the in between.

I sure appreciate life.  I appreciate health, family and friends much more…and my job!  As I try to think back on what the year started out with my mind goes to New Years.  We spent the weekend with friends at a cabin in Midway.  It was different because I was pregnant, but it was fun.  We ate, and drank, played in the snow, watched movies and played guitar hero.  It was definitely a fun weekend.  One bad thing I remember is we were finishing our kitchen wood floors and they stunk so bad that I could not be in the house.  We thought it would be cleared out by the time we got home from the cabin, but no way!  Just to be safe because I was pregnant, I slept with all of the bedroom windows open and the door shut…burrrrr!

February approached quickly and we had something fun to look forward to, a weekend with our friend Toddy Woddy in Portland.  We went over my 30^th birthday!  OMG, I know, 30!  Now that seems so long ago!  We had a great weekend.  Enjoyed beautiful weather, scenery, and food.  We went to some great pubs like the Rogue Beer pub and a distillery.  Todd is so much fun.  We even ate at a breakfast place that was just a hole in the wall.  It was where they found the Nancy Kerrigan evidence in the trash bin.

March we were back home.  Finishing up our kitchen and small odds and ends.  Man was it great to have a kitchen again.  Living out of the bathroom sink was no fun.

April we were coming to an end in pregnancy.  Only one more month to go and I was getting so excited.  Luckily all of the sickness had gone.  Just getting round.  We signed up for birthing classes! Hehe, Robert was not excited, but he was such a trooper.  We didn’t really go anywhere.  We just worked around the house and yard.  We started to finish Dalyla’s room and get that all ready for her.

May, the big month!  Dalyla was on her way.  The 25^th couldn’t come quick enough, just to find out that she was 2 days late!  This month was quite warm.  We went for walks in the evenings, enjoyed movies together and just hung out around the house.

Of course the 27^th was the best day of the year.  Little Dalyla made her showing and our year and life was changed forever.

June was an adjustment month.  Robert went back to work and I was at home with the baby.  I can’t believe that this month flew by.  We celebrated our 8^th wedding anniversary!  We left Dalyla with my dad and Becki to go have dinner and I was having anxiety after two hours!  We couldn’t leave her much more than that because I was breast feeding. 

July came and went.  We went to a Bee’s game with Adam, the boys and Dalyla for the 4^th of July.  That was really fun.  We really didn’t venture to go camping quite yet.  I still wasn’t able to make it out of the house before noon.  By the time I was ready and she was ready it was time to eat and change and nap. J

August was a good month.  It was Robert’s 34^th birthday and we also took a weekend trip to Bear Lake with Kandace and Greg.  That was a lot of fun.  We took Dalyla to the beach.  Her first feet in the water and sand experience. It was nice to enjoy a couple beers and relax.  Although a couple was max because I was still breast feeding.  Dalyla was very well mannered and she slept surprisingly well.  It was hard to get her to sleep but other than that she did fine. We took a trip to the gas station to buy some lottery tickets.  I told Robert to grab the diaper bag and he said, oh she will be fine we aren’t going to be gone long..well wouldn’t ya know it, she pooped…all up her back!  Luckily I had some wipes and one diaper..no clothes though.  We had to go back to the cabin and change her clothes. Haha!  Then late August I had to return to work. Weird thing is I was sort of excited to get back into the swing of my professional life, but at the same time I felt like the worst person ever for leaving my daughter to be raised by someone else after wanting her all these years.  It really was a big mental battle of priorities.  I still have a hard time leaving her.  The only thing that has made it easier is knowing that she is with family that loves her and takes very good care of her.  I am very lucky to have a Mother in Law that is so great!

September we took our first family alone vacation to Moab.  Dalyla was unusually whiny and sleepy.  She was great though out in the desert and on hikes.  We hiked a lot and it was hot.  She mostly slept.  We had a wonderful time though.  Hiking with Robert and my daughter was the greatest thing ever.  I really enjoyed just hanging out with my husband.  I couldn’t have been more happier.  This weekend was Dalyla’s first time ever to sleep through the night.  From there on out we couldn’t figure out what it was that made her sleep. J  We did find out later the next weekend that she had a UTI. So sad, her fever shot up to 103 degrees.  Scared me to death.  That was our first afterhours weekend visit to the dr. 

October, football season!  The Jags and Bears suck this year..but oh well!  We did get to dress Dalyla up in her Bears bibs for the first time. J  Daddy loved that.  We took our first weekend trip away from Dalyla to Vegas with Kandace and Greg.  We went to the Ute game.  Super fun.  It was hard to leave her, I was excited to get home, but it was so nice to conversate and enjoy a drink with Robert.  We went to ESPN zone before the game.  It was great weather. 

And Halloween was great.  Took Dalyla all around to the grandparents and my work.  We went to Larry and Ellen’s house for a party and took Dalyla along.  It was her first experience of her Daddy’s crazy Halloween costumes.  Yes, he was Wonder Woman!  So HOT!  I couldn’t keep my hands off of him, I mean her all night!  Something is just so hot about a hairy Wonder Woman with long sexy legs!

November quickly approached with cold weather.  We went to another Ute game at the stadium.  That was fun.  Thanksgiving was a blurr.  I cooked dinner at my house for my dad, Becki, Scott, Randy and Jana and Cal.  It was a good day.  We started off the cold morning with a 5k turkey run.  Then went to Court and Amanda’s for brunch with Mom, then rushed home to finish dinner.  It was a great day.

Wow, and here we are December.  The end of the year already!  Work has been insane, life has been insane getting ready for Christmas. 

Christmas was fantastic.  My dad and Becki came for breakfast and my mom and Haylee came for brunch.  We got to visit and see so much family.  The only regret is that we didn’t get to spend more time with Lael in Park City. Visiting at my Grandmas was very precious.  I was able to get some great pictures with Grandma.  Dalyla loved my dad playing the guitar.  She actually was very content just listening.  I really will treasure this Christmas in my heart.

Christmas is a reminder of how wonderful my friends and family are and how little we see of each other.  It really makes me emotional because I think of how selfish I can be at times and how some people go without and have so little.

It makes me realize how much I truly enjoy my friends and family.  How much I adore each relationship.  Each of my friends have had trials throughout the year that we have shared.  From Milonie and Gayle having breast cancer, to Travis and Merri adopting CJ, and my mom divorcing F-R-A-N-K, what a year for everyone and I was lucky enough to be on the side line to root for each of them.  Each of us have so much inner strength that we have to reach down deep and discover.  Sometimes the help of friends is what makes this possible.

So as the 2009 year come to an abrupt end I would like to say Thank you!  Thank you to my friends, my family, my husband and my higher being.  Thank you for sticking by me in my time of need, listening to my whines and moans, and sharing the most wonderful experience in my life so far.  Thank you to my husband for being there and rooting and cheering for me as a mom.  Thank you for always making it possible for me to achieve my goals and dreams.  Thank you for working so hard on our house and making a better life for our family.

Thank you to my best friends, Mandi and Trish.  You two are my favorite. I couldn’t have had a great 2009 without you.  Mandi, always giving me smiles and positivity.  Letting me gripe about new mother hood and understanding.  Sharing those cups of coffee and ice cream means so much.  Trish, thank you for the great hikes and wine nights.  Thanks for taking fat prego pictures of me.  Without you they wouldn’t have turned out. Thank you for always being there and your wonderful thoughtfulness.  No one could be a better person than you!

Thank you to my family for being such a great family.  Sharing Dalyla with each of you has been fun.  All of you have something personal and special to pass down and share with her.  She is so lucky to have you in her life.

Cheers to a merry 2010!  May this year been fun filled, exciting, and positive as ever!

Ms. Dallas Stewart

Account Manager, Client Consulting Services

Christopherson Business Travel

www.christophersontravel.com

(801) 327-7760

 

 

Thanksgiving at our house

new pics

First Sickness

What a week! Dalyla and I have both been very sick. It started out as just a simple cold. I then decided I better take her in just to have peace of mind and what did we hear, Oh she has an ear infection! Poor sweet baby! Me, I went to the dr. the next day and she says, oh you have a Sinus infection. Man o man, I didn't realize what moms go through when they are sick and they still have to be mom. :) No rest! But that is ok because to nurse my baby girl while she is sick means so much. I get to be that mommy that makes everything feel better. I tried brining her to bed with us just so that we could be close and snuggle but unfortunately she couldn't get comfortable with her ear, so back to her bed she went.
Dalyla isn't much of a cuddler, but what is so cute is when I pick her up now after work she will put her head in my chest. That is her snuggling. She gets so happy to see me. It makes me super happy. She loves her daddy too. When he comes home from work she just stares and smiles at him. She gets pretty excited for him.
It was so funny last night. Robert was pulling out his bottom teeth making a funny face and kind of growling, and she totally copied him. It was hilarious! We were both cracking up!
Dalyla likes to just stare at her hands. She will twist her wrists and look at her fingers. It's quite cute. It's like she is finally realizing that they are hers.
She loves her cereal and food now. She definitely likes fruit over vegetables.
And since she isn't much of a snuggler, I have to steal my snuggles and loves when she finally goes to sleep. She rests her little head on my chest and her arms. It is the sweetest moment of motherhood.
Reading is quite fun with her now. She loves to goo and touch the pictures. She tries to turn the pages but shuts the book instead. :) We bought her nursery rhymes with a cd, she liked it. I don't think she quite correlated the two together but she still seemed to enjoy the music too.

Thanksgiving was fun. It was her first. Grandma Jana took pictures. I have failed to load them on this computer so I will have to post them later. We had quite the busy day. We started off running a 5k at 7am. Then we went to Courtland and Amanda's for brunch with my mom. Then when that was done, we went home and I cooked dinner for my dads side and Robert's family. It was a great day! I was surprised because my turkey actually turned out superb! Dalyla had enough though by dinner time. She needed one on one mommy time.

Christmas is drawing near too. So much to do to prepare. I really haven't bought Dalyla much because I feel like I am constantly buying her new things. Either she grows out of her toys and needs different ones, or it's her clothes! But I am pretty excited. She is going to get a few new toys and clothes. I think she will have a lot of fun unwrapping everything. She hasn't cared much for the tree and lights. We will see how Xmas day goes. I have been making a special surprise for everyone this year. Yes, I know, me make something..it's blowing you away! Im very excited to give gifts this year. I think making things makes it more fun. I think as a family we should start a rule, it has to be home made and not store bought!

I am just glad that this week is almost over. It has been a rough one and I would like to feel better now. Root canal, teeth problems, sick baby and sick mommy....makes for a long week!

Dalyla is a sleep now, and so I am going to go lounge on the couch with Daddy. Even though I should be working out because I still have some fat to shed, I don't feel well and might as well continue through the week with no exercise, right?

Good night!