home salz: Big year

If I really think about 2011 - it was the year that our life started.

In 2010 we were:

Self-professed food critics - Eating the best food at the best restaurants in the best cities out there.

Lovers of all things real estate - Renovating our brand new townhouse. I know. Sounds funny doesn't it?

Career focused - Me, traveling all over the PNW as a division recruiter for an insurance company/Nick, getting back to doing what he does best - selling!

World travelers - Holland, France, Mexico.

Love love love birds - Celebrating 4 years of marital bliss.

For the record, we are still all of those things but in January of 2011 something happened that rocked our world and shook it in a million different directions...it was the birth of our first baby Salzwedel.

Cruz Nicholas.

People will tell you what you should expect - and trust me, we heard it all - but there is nothing that will truly prepare you for parenthood other than just jumping in and being.

Having Cruz has definitely changed us. Challenged us. Brought us closer.

Allowed us to feel love we both didn't know was possible. For each other and for our child.

2011 was the year our life started.

January:

Spent the new year in Mexico relaxing, sunning, drinking and loving. To date - our best vacation and MUCH needed as little did I know it would be two and a half weeks before we would be having a baby (we were due Valentine's Day)!

The afternoon of the 28th my water broke. It was time! Two and a half weeks early.

Our first moment as a family of three.

Getting ready to head home.

It was a rough first week for our babe who suffered from a good bit of jaundice. Many toe pricks, blood tests and MANY trips to the hospital but our little Eskimo was tough. Pretty sure mom cried way more than Cruz did! He is a champ - just like his dad.

February, March, April:

We spend the next three months trying to survive newbornhood.

We also got new jobs - me, part time HR/Nick, project management - and Liam our BIGGEST baby turned 1!

May:

Found our dream house then fought like heck to make it happen.

My amazing cherry tree.

June:

Signed on the dotted line then waited...and waited..and wished...and prayed..and hoped.

In the meantime...we moved - twice, Nick got a NEW (way better) job, attended my 10 year high school reunion, swam - lots, got our first haircut, went to our first football game, celebrated 5 years married and continued to be the cutest baby boy in the history of boys.

September:

Got a YES to our dream house! 311 N. Molter was ours!

We move - for the third and final time.

October:

Fall, pumpkins and Halloween

November:

Thanksgiving and my 100th blog post!

December:

First Christmas - first real Christmas tree, first present, first Christmas Eve, first Christmas morning. We also started the process of our BIG remodel - we hired an architect!