Celebrations, Reflections, and Resolutions

For New Year's, my parent's kept Noah so that we could ring in 2009 with our friends. We went to dinner at Dale's and then went to Brett & Chenequa's house to celebrate with our closest friends... with the exception of a few that couldn't make it. Right before midnight, Chenequa decided that we needed party hats... well the only thing she could find were Happy Birthday hats with dog paws on them from her dog's birthday party... so we improvised and used sharpie markers to turn them into Happy New Years hats. :) It was pretty low-key but we had a great time! It's so funny how things change as you get older, especially once you have kids and your friends have kids... going out and partying just isn't as big a deal anymore, nor is it something that you really care to do.

With the beginning of a new year, it tends to make you reflect on all those most important to you. For one, I'm so blessed to have such a great husband to take care of me and Noah. He works so hard to allow me to stay at home, and I am forever grateful for that. He's such a great father and I look forward to watching his and Noah's relationship grow even more with each year. He truly is my best friend.

I couldn't imagine life without my little buddy in it! Noah is the most loving little boy... he is so content just letting me love on him or hold him. I know that once he gets older, he won't let me cuddle with him as often (if ever!) so it's definitely something I try to not take for granted. The household chores can wait... Noah gets older every day so I cherish our time hanging out together! I love his sweet, crooked smile. I thank God for allowing me to be Noah's mom.

My parents are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. They would do anything for me, Jamie, Noah, and my sister, Lindsay. They were so great to us during the first few months after Noah was born, especially when he was having problems gaining weight & still considered "failure to thrive". He had a really difficult time learning to suck/take a bottle so each feeding was incredibly hard. He would go back to sleep or just wouldn't eat so it was at least an hour or more ordeal just to get him to take a few ounces. Then we would start back over an hour and a half later. It was exhausting. They told us to come stay with them at their house and both mom and dad helped out with feedings. We would all rotate shifts as to who would get up to feed Noah. In fact, they would even give me the night off, ever so often! Even now, just watching them with Noah absolutely fills my heart up b/c it's so evident how much he means to them. We call my dad a "Noah hog" b/c he constantly wants to hold him, especially in public! He's so proud to show him off to people he knows. We joke with him about it but I wouldn't want it any other way.

I am forever grateful for the friends God has placed in my life. I am so proud of each of them and the women that they've become! They have been such a support system to me, encouraged me when I needed it the most, laughed with me (and at me), and allowed me to cry to them even when I'm ashamed to. I look forward to 2009 and the years to come and watching our babies grow up together!

Now on to a much lighter note, I've made a few New Years resolutions and hopefully, by putting them on here, it will encourage me to stick to them! First off, I want to be a better house-wife... cook more often, keep a cleaner house, that sort of thing. Secondly, I want to COMMIT to working out at least 3-4 times a week. Jamie and I just joined Court House Racquet Club so we've started going to Body Pump. I just want to follow through with it, and not let it be some temporary thing. So there goes... I've put them out there so ya'll can hold me accountable!

New Years Eve pics

Group Shot -- last pic of '08