2009 in Review

Aside from the exciting events in August, 2009 was a year in which we celebrated the ordinary. Excitement can come in good ways and sorrowful ways so, for this year, I am thankful for the pedestrian everydayness of 2009.

January passed in a blur of morning sickness and fatigue. I have successfully blocked out memories of the month which I know entailed slogging through schoolwork with the kids and frantic phone calls to Joe around suppertime too many times to count since I often felt too awful to prepare any dinner.

February the fog lifted a bit or, more probably, I became more adept at dealing with the ever persistent early pregnancy symptoms. I know we made a trip to Door County and for the first time since I started my blog I went one whole month without one single post. Joe and I celebrated our ninth wedding anniversary on the 12th with a wonderful night out at our favorite restaurant with a steak I enjoyed more than I thought the in utero Caroline would allow and Madeleine participated in a piano competition.



March brought the delightful news that Elisabeth had been accepted into the Nature Preschool she now attends and also the now familiar end-of-winter blues where each day I hopefully search for signs of spring and the end of the ever-present glum, winter days. I don't exactly remember, but I do think I also started my second trimester of pregnancy which brought the stereotypical pep and energy I had so looked forward to since morning sickness (read: all day sickness) had set in early in my pregnancy.

April brought the news that Caroline was a Caroline and not a Charles. Elisabeth became officially potty trained and for the first time since Madeleine's birth our home was completely diaper free. We celebrated Easter with family and good friends.





I took time to relax and spend time with the soon-to-be usurped baby of the family.



May brought a weekend trip to Oshkosh for a home-schooling conference. We celebrated my birthday. We basked in the warm weather May brought and spent as much time outside as possible.

June brought rhubarb. Lots and lots of rhubarb. Rhubarb this, rhubarb that. It also brought the end of soccer season for Hank and the beginning of baseball. June also brought my iPhone, the single greatest electronic device I have ever owned.

July brought lazy days. Playing at the beach with friends.



Tennis lessons for Madeleine. Forming new friendships.



July also took Madeleine to a week away at camp, which was an adjustment for our whole family, especially the adults.

August was the highlight month of 2009, of course. The month began celebrating the ninth anniversary of the birth of one child and ended with the birth of another. Welcoming Caroline Marcelle into our family on the 29th was easily the most exciting time of the year.



September was easy and relaxing, as we took time to get to know Caroline. September was notable for the blessing of her baptism.



We also started school, Elisabeth started preschool and Joe, Hank, Caroline and I attended a Packer game at Lambeau. Elisabeth sprained her wrist and we celebrated Joe's birthday.

So I guess September wasn't relaxing at all, but it was fun.

October's highlight was a trip to Door County to celebrate Hank's 7th and Elisabeth's 4th birthdays. Towards the end of the month, we also captured one of Caroline's smiles for posterity.



November was notable, for me, for the improving play of the Packers and the thin whisper of hope that we might be playoff-bound. Hockey began.

And December. Busy, busy December. Still though, lots of good, everyday types of memories: baking cookies, visiting with friends, decorating our Christmas tree, our annual stomach viruses. That's December every year, and there is comfort in familiarity.

Happy New Year, one and all! I wish everyone a blessed 2010!