Year in Review {2016}

The year 2016 was a rough year for some, but for us it was one of the very best. We started the year with a 3 year old Ellie, 6 year old Zach, 8 year old Anna and a baby due April 8, and we ended the year a family of six.

January
A week into the new year, we celebrated Ellie turning four. We celebrated exactly the way she wanted, with a couple of friends and plenty of crafts and cake.

The kids spent their energy jumping from couch to couch and plowing the yard with a toy snow plow.

February
We survived another February. We made Valentine's, twirled in the kitchen and spent time in St. Louis (me) and Papa's house (the kids).

March
With a baby due soon, we didn't travel far from home for spring break, but we did go as far as the Great Wolf Lodge. The kids were so surprised. They had an absolute blast and Anna did a little light reading over the break. She read through that entire stack!

April
In April, we spent the first half the month waiting for the day we'd meet our baby. We made plans and contingency plans, plan A and plan B for whenever the time came and somehow we were still caught off guard. Somehow it was perfect timing. Sam was born April 16 and everyone is completely smitten.

May
In May I discovered that life doesn't slow down just because you have a baby if that baby is your fourth and your third has a dance recital and your other two kids have end of year banquets and soccer games and then when you're already worn out from all of that, school is over for the year and all four kids are home all the time on summer vacation. It's not a vacation for the mama, I'll tell you that much, but I wouldn't trade it for anything.

At the end of May, Anna turned nine.

June
We spent a lot of lazy mornings just like this in June. The kids did camps and swimming lessons and Sam got a lot of time in his car seat and a lot more time being smothered with sibling love. He smiled a lot and grew a lot.

July
In July we drove out to Tennessee and put Sam on top of Old Smoky in the Smoky Mountain National Park. We hiked to a lot of waterfalls and spent a few days with friends.

August
In August, Ellie learned to ride a bike. She had Sam all to herself once Anna and Zach were back in school. Sam spent a lot of time sleeping, eating and growing.

September
September brought sunflowers and apples, soccer and more baseball and one last weekend of swimming. Ellie and I spent our days doing preschool at home and going on lots of "field trips." Sam learned how to roll and how to chew on his toes.

October
In October, we celebrated Sam's half birthday with half a cake and Zach's 7th birthday with a cowboy party. Sam tried food for the first time and we took a trip to the pumpkin patch. We spent our Saturdays at the baseball fields and soccer fields, and Anna spent a couple of afternoons a week at the track at her school running laps to prepare for her upcoming 5k.

November
We had plenty of reasons to be thankful in November. We rode bikes, played in the leaves and celebrated Thanksgiving with family. At the end of the month, we put up the Christmas tree and turned on the Christmas music.

December
Sam's first Christmas was one of the very best. We celebrated at home and closed the year out with cousins, aunts and uncles.

Everything didn't go right in 2016. There was too much violence and too much hate. But in new life and the innocence of children we find hope, and once you choose hope, anything's possible. 

December {2016}

I feel like I just came to terms with the fact that summer is over and now the calendar says it's December. But the signs are all there: frost on the grass i the morning, footie pajamas, lights on all the houses and that huge pile of Christmas books Ellie brought upstairs to read to Sam. It really is a wonderful time of the year. 

We call him Santa Baby and sometimes we sing that song to him even though none of us really know the words. He's the squishiest.

He wakes up happy. Every day, after every nap. So much sunshine in that soul.

Getting these four dressed and ready to go at the same time is no small feat, so I'm going to call this a win even though Zach and Anna don't have proper shoes on and Ellie only has shoes that fit because she's wearing a hand-me-down pair of Anna's that are technically spring shoes.

No tears! We weren't sure what Sam would think of Santa. The look on his face says it all. A little unsure but mostly unimpressed.

He's way more impressed with stroller rides in the house. When it's too cold to walk outside and Mama has laundry and cooking to do, Anna and her indoor stroller rides are exactly what the world needs now.

The world needs a little of this as well. Check out that hair!

The days when he sits still in one spot are numbered, so I have to take advantage while I can. I plopped him down by the Christmas tree to see what he thought and within seconds he had every decoration he could reach off the tree and in his mouth. Add that to the list of reasons why I'm so against him ever learning to crawl. 

Practicing writing her letters. In just a few short months, Ellie will be off to kindergarten, and since she's not going to preschool, it's up to me to make sure she knows how to do things like hold a pencil correctly, write her letters and not put her entire mouth on the spout of the drinking fountain.

Movie night with the projector and a bed sheet on the wall are a favorite. Ollie the elf watched, too.

The Scotts stopped through on the way down to spend Christmas with Taylor's side of the family and we got to meet Asher! The kids were all big fans. So fun to have a new cousin!

Sam's first Christmas is in the books. It was as magical as it looks.

The days after Christmas before New Years are some of my favorites. The kids were so happy playing with their new toys and putting together new Lego sets. 

Best buds. Sam loves having all his siblings home over winter break, and they stick to him like glue. Anna spent her winter break rocking him in his chair and reading him books. Zach taught Sam to clap and make very loud noises. Turns out, Sam is a fast learner. 

We closed out the year at Nana and Grandad's with cousins and aunt and uncles. No better way to finish a full and wonderful year.