2013

Okay, it's January 7 and I'm finally getting around to our New Year's post.  A week late - not too shabby!

Happy 2013, everyone!

Justin, Lila, Sandy and I headed to Tampa for a long weekend to visit with the Wallace family.  It was the perfect length road trip (2.5 hour drive) and the perfect time away (left Saturday afternoon, came home Tuesday afternoon).  Lila did pretty well the trip over considering we hit Disney traffic and had to stop once to feed/change her.

We're not sure exactly how Lila and Owen really feel about each other - but there was a lot of smiling and laughing, so we think this pre-arranged marriage just might work.  (Melissa and I are half-kidding about this . . .) Owen is 9 months older than Lila and right now it's still pretty hard for them to "play together."

Here are some adorable pictures of the two babies:

New Year's Eve

Baby hugs

Justin got a lot of quality time in with Lila over the trip, which was awesome.  Melissa and I even went to get pedicures!  It was the first time Justin and Lila were on their own together.  Scott was there for moral support!

We also took Lila to the park for the first time.  Tampa has a beautiful park on the Hillsborough Bay, and of course, Lila slept through the entire outing.  Oh well!

Our wonderful hosts

 Melissa and Scott also had a little New Years Eve party, which Lila decided she did not want to sleep through.  At one point, she woke up and I just held her on my lap while we played Catchphrase, and she just talked and laughed the entire time.  Then Justin took a turn trying to get her to sleep and I had to run upstairs to tell him the ball was about to drop.  Lila was with us during the countdown and got a New Years kiss from Mommy and Daddy.  It was the perfect way to end 2012 and Lila fell asleep for the rest of the night about 10 minutes later.  I'm telling you, this girl know what's up.

Sleeping babies = happy mommies!

This pretty much sums up the night.  Awesomeness.

 Justin and I also made a video to send to our family that I have to share with you on the blog.  Just keep your eye on Lila at the very end . . . (and watch it full screen!)

Hilarious!  My parents and brother Jack sent us one back where Jack makes the same face.  Too funny!

And now for my thoughts on 2012 and resolutions for 2013:

2012:  What a crazy, lovely, ah-mah-zing year.  Looking back, we found out I was pregnant the first weekend in February, a week before we were going to close on the house.  The house was at first not what we expected (fleas, feral cat colony next door, smelly wallpaper, backyard drainage issues, gutter issues, a rock garden in the front that served as a litter box for above mentioned cats, HVAC issues . . . the list seemed endless).  We were determined to get it ready before Lila arrived, and for the most part, we did (only had some door painting and threshold installing to do, which we finally got done before 2013!)  I was working an hour away, and by May, I was so ready for the school year to be over.  Then I headed back to Virginia for our renovations inside the house . . . it was all a whirlwind and then Lila arrived and I can't believe that was 14 weeks ago.  She was by far the best part of the year, and my life up to this point.  Then we ended the year with a big old fashioned family Christmas at our place, where we were the "hap-hap-happiest bunch of a-holes since Bing Crosby danced with Danny F'ing Kaye." However, I'm hoping that 2013 is a little more "chill."  I'd like to see us spending more time at the beach (after all, it's only 5 minutes away) and with our friends (both new ones here and old ones visiting).  And of course, documenting all of the changes and growth of our little baby girl.

2013 Resolutions:
1. Complete one sewing project a month.  Haven't mentioned this yet, but the Watts gifted me with a sewing machine over Christmas and I am eager to set it up and use it.  I think my first project will be a shift dress for Lila.  I made myself two dresses and a top in 2011, and the pattern I found for Lila looks easy-peasy.  Plus I found out you can buy a yard of Lilly Pulitzer fabric on Etsy for $18.

2. Complete one DIY house project a month.  Also so excited for this one!  Especially since I received the Young House Love book for Christmas from Pauline and have already bookmarked all of the projects I want to tackle.  I think the first one will be re-making a lamp I already have.  I'm going to re-cover the shade and spray paint the base.

3.  Walk Sandy and Lila once a day during the week.  Justin has morning walk duty with Sandy, so she always gets a morning walk.  Now that I am getting the hang of this "mom" thing, and Lila is getting older, it's easier for me to get out in the afternoon with them and walk the neighborhood.  Plus the winter weather in Florida has been gorgeous.  It's 66 degrees and sunny right now as I type.

4.  Continue to exercise, but ramp it up and re-start Turbofire for reals.  Turbofire is a 12 week program and I think I'll be starting it next Monday.  Plus I need to get rid of all of the sweets from the holiday and focus on my diet.  I weighed myself last week and I still have 15 pounds to lose!  I miss my old pre-baby clothes.

5. WRITE!  Don't know when exactly this will happen, but I know I will get there sometime this year.

Lila is taking her morning nap, I've been blogging to close to 45 minutes now, and I've still got a Christmas tree up in our living room.  Signing off, love you all and Happy New Year!