A look back at 2013....

JANUARY

Nathan switched from a crib into a bed!

And practiced being a big brother

FEBRUARY

We anxiously waited for Baby Chenivan #2 to arrive!

MARCH

On March 1st, right on his due date, at 5:01 am

Ryan James made his appearance

And we became a family of four!

APRIL

Nathan turned 3!!

and had a froggy themed party

MAY

Mother's Day

Will and I celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary

JUNE

Nathan graduated from his first year of preschool!

Father's Day

We bought our first house!!

JULY

We moved into our house and were introduced to yard work :(

AUGUST

Ryan was baptized

Baby's first ride in a swing

Daddy got a new toy!

 SEPTEMBER

Ryan turned 6 months and had his first bite of real food!

Nathan's first day of school

Apple picking

 OCTOBER

Nathan's first jack-o-lantern

Baby's first Halloween

Will and I did the Rugged Maniac!

More yard work!

NOVEMBER

Family pictures taken

The fruit turkey!!

DECEMBER

Baby's first Christmas

Baby's first snow

Still more yard work!!!

We made so many wonderful memories in 2013, and we are looking forward to making more in 2014. Happy New Year!!!

Baby's first christmas

Better late than never

Once Will and I had kids, our lives were no longer our own. They now completely revolve around our children, as they should.

There are not many opportunities for waking up in the morning and just lying there, talking. Someone has to change diapers, and get breakfast started and build a block tower. At 6:30 am.

There are not many chances for long dinners, talking over a glass of wine. Instead we eat as fast as we can, while feeding the small human next to us at the same time, barely hearing what our partner is saying over the screaming.

There are not as many date nights as we'd like. Once the kids are in bed, we are exhausted and too often crash on the couch, watching mindless TV, going to bed early so we can get up early and start all over again.

No more late dinners at 9pm, or lazy Saturdays, or spontaneous vacations. Life is planned and scheduled.

I love my children with all that I am and even though I miss my carefree pre-parent days, I wouldn't trade my life back for a million bucks. However, I believe it's so important to take time alone, as a couple, to reconnect.

To remember that we are not just Mommy and Daddy, that Karen and Will still exist. That no matter how crazy and hectic life might get, we chose each other to go through it together for a reason.

Six months after our 5 year year wedding anniversary passed, Will and I went to Puerto Rico... by ourselves.
We spent 4 days sleeping in, taking naps, reading books. Things got crazy.
But more importantly we spent 4 days together, as a couple who love each other, not just as parents who love our kids.
.
Four days alone, to celebrate five years together. Happy anniversary indeed.