Welcome 2014

What an unexpected year 2013 was for us. At the beginning of the year, I never would have imagined that we would find ourselves moving to a new state, but here we are.

We enjoyed a quiet Christmas at home with just the 3 of us. We were able to spend Christmas Eve with my Aunt and her husband as they spend the winter months living out of a motor home in Mesa, which is just about 45 minutes from where we live. We are also looking forward to a visit from my parents in February and hoping to be able to make a trip to Oregon during the hot Arizona summer months.

The last month of 2013 brought many challenges/milestones our way. We had originally planned on gradually phasing out Ethan's pacifier, but we were forced into just taking it away because he started chewing holes in them. At least we were able to wait until all of his teeth came in since that was the only soothing mechanism we had ever found through the whole teething process. Taking the pacifier away immediately prompted him to figure out how to climb out of his crib since he wasn't settling down as easily at bedtime. So, we converted his crib to a toddler bed. While he seems to like the idea of a big boy bed, it has proven to be a challenge when it comes to actually going to sleep. Nap time or bedtime is now a much longer and more involved process than it used to be, and we are tired.

Ethan is showing a lot of his age right now: curious about everything but wanting more and more independence (he likes to make demands as only a two year old can). He is talking more and more every day, and I am amazed sometimes at what he understands. When I am talking on the phone to someone, he hears everything, even when he seems to be preoccupied with something else. He has grown up so much in the last 6 months. Some things are easier and some things are harder now. It comes with the territory.

I wouldn't say that I have any major expectations for the coming year. As this past year has demonstrated, when you think you know what to expect, life can throw a curve ball to you. We were just talking earlier today while on a walk how somehow many years had passed and we got old (using the term very loosely). I know that in many ways we are still young, but it is hard to believe that we will be celebrating our 8th anniversary in March and that Tim graduated from college in 2000 and I then graduated in 2002. How quickly time goes by.