2013 in review

As I sit and think back to 2013, it's hard to think about the year before Greta, but there was 3 months. So here's my recap and I will try to make it not all about Greta.

January

Celebrating Julies 30th birthday in Frankenmuth 

February

Two fabulous baby showers
Michigan basketball game

March

March Madness watching Michigan and MSU play at the Palace
Starting the month pregnant and ending the month with a beautiful baby girl

Oh and a trip to Cabellas that we won't forget

April

Greta's first trip to Unionville

May

Greta's baptism

June

Trip to Pittsburgh with Mom and Greta

A fun wedding

July

First family road trip up north

Going back to work

August

Outstanding sweet corn crop and the rest of the garden
A new piano
Greta' first Michigan tailgate

Family trip to the Tigers

Becoming a breast milk donor

September 

Slow month...Did some canning

October

Greta's first trip to the farm
Family trip to Belgium and Paris

November

Ryan getting his first deer

December

Great Christmas with an amazing family

Christmas Part 2

After a great few days with the Delaney's, we loaded up and headed to Unionville.  We made it for lunch and then enjoyed an afternoon of Greta opening presents from everyone, while Karle and Kahle sledded with Uncle Jason.  Very thankful for for many great gifts from everyone.  Love you all.  

One of her favorite gifts from the Welden's - a motorcycle that has lots of fun noises!

Plus, the day wouldn't be complete without family pictures.

Great sledding snow - Mary and the kids

Friday, we celebrated at Dad's with the Ewald side.  And continuing the tradition we Aunt Lori started last year, we played Minute to Win it.  Well our version is 30 seconds to speed it up.  But lots of good fun.  Even though our team didn't win.

Too funny not to post -love Julie and Dad's expressions.  Like father like daughter.

Ryan  working hard.

The grandkids and great-grandkids (minus Jason :-(

Then Saturday, it was off to Uncle Davids to celebrate with the Weber's.  Another great day with family.  Great also got her first taste of Uncle David's ice cream.  She loved it, of course and was begging for more.  Too cute!

Then it was back home to unload, open our own Toys R Us store and re-coop.  After a good night of sleep, and lots of organizing and cleaning, the house is almost back to the point where it isn't driving me crazy.

Thanks to all for making Greta's first Christmas so memorable!

Christmas Part 1

This year we hosted the Delaney's at our house for a Christmas celebration. And what a blessed celebration it was. The generosity of everyone makes me feel so loved! And makes me even happier that Greta is so loved and maybe a little spoiled :-) but that's what family is for. We went to church, ate lots of yummy food (which included an awesome prime rib from Jerome's), opened gifts, had a piano concert, and danced around the tree while singing Christmas sings. A great tradition that I'm excited for Greta to grow up with.

All dressed up for Christmas Eve church

Our princess - or at least that is what the boys were calling her.

  

Christmas dinner - yummy!

Christmas concert on my wonderful piano!

Oh and Santa came and ate the cookies and let a note for the kids! Plus left Greta a new big play thing that she can climb on and through (great description I know) and a pink phone. Plus a taggie blanket, a water bottle with a straw and new shoes in her stocking.

Also started a new RAD tradition for Greta. She opened a gift Christmas Eve which was new pjs and a new book - Bears Stays Up for Christmas. Even though she was sleeping before we could read it- Evan enjoyed it Christmas Eve and Greta Christmas night.

Thank you all for an amazing few days! 

First santa visit

It was time for Greta to meet santa. And I had envisioned this super cute meeting with her tugging at im his beard.

Crazy I know.  Reality was first time looking at him she clung to me for dear like. Nos in Greta's defense she had just woken up. We decided to look around and then come back through. This time I put her on his lap and the biggest crocodile tears started falling. 

Not the best first meeting but a memory non the less.

Where did the month go?

Ive been slacking! Shame on me. Do here's a run down of the past week or so.

Big snow storm! Now it's a muddy sloppy mess. Love Michigan weather.

Ryan and I had I think only out 2nd night out since Greta was born so my work Christmas party. Thanks to mom and dad for coming to babysit. Bummed no picture cuz we looked good!

Greta is sick... Still. First croup. Then we found out pneumonia again. Now croup again. Seeing the specialist on the 14th.

Did almost all my Christmas shopping online. 

Have been baking and cooking like crazy in preparation of Christmas at our house with the Delaneys.

Day care Christmas gifts turned out great! Thanks Pinterest.

Greta and the Christmas tree

Greta loves the Christmas tree.  She is not at all scared of it or want to stay away from it.  It doesn't even feel picky to her.

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Christmas tree

We have a tree. It's up.

It has lights on it.

The finished product,

Sick again

Poor Greta is sick again. Long evening and night. No sleep for mommy... Literally. She just wanted to lay on me and snuggle. And then when she'd cough she'd wake up. And to tip it off a temp of 103 will make anyone miserable.

A trip to the doctor today and she has croup. So we have steroids to take for 4 days and humidifier as much as possible and try to keep the fever down. So far it's been down - tonight was only 99.5. Woo hoo.

But that means no day care and shuffling around our schedules to make it work. Hopefully she will be okay to go back on Wednesday.