2018 Year In Review

2018. I'm not sure if this has been the fastest year of my life, because I literally blinked and its over, or the slowest, because so so much has happened! Either way, this year has taught me more than all of the other years of my life combined. I've experienced my highest high and my lowest low. I've learned that I'm not in control. And I've learned how to live in the present more than ever before.

Last year I took a look back (see the post here) and I love the format of that post, so here are the highlights of 2018! I'm going to post some never before seen pics here in the post but will link to other pictures/posts throughout as well.



January

The year started out with a bang (literally, it was my water breaking. Ha! Mom jokes). The birth of my baby girl, the best day of my life, as they say. But I say every day since then has been the best day of my life! 

February 

Adjusting to life as new parents. To be honest, I can't say I really remember this month but looking back through pics I'm reminded that we took our first outing with Avery, celebrated her first holiday (Valentine's Day), I got mastitis, and I miss her tiny little self!

March

Again the actual memories are little fuzzy - thank goodness for pictures! But we got more adventurous with taking our little nugget out and about, she met more friends and family, and just kept on growing! Her "newborn" pictures finally got taken, never did share this one that screams "paint me like one of your French girls!" haha.

April

Avery's first Easter! I got back into the swing of things with blogging. Brian and I spent our first night away from baby girl for a friend's wedding.

May

Avery's eye drainage problems started that luckily resolved itself after months of us wiping her eye multiple times a day, gosh the things that seem so hard but you so easily forget! We took our first road trip as a family to Jacksonville for a weekend and our second to the beach for a day. It was apparently a very busy month- even after all that we still celebrated Mother's Day, I returned to work, and Avery was baptized.

June

A pretty low-key month, just (attempting to) adjusting to life as a working mom. Celebrated my 26th birthday. Avery tried her first real food - oatmeal!

July

Another somewhat low key month, my photo taking drastically decreased after going back to work. Avery turned 6 months old and celebrated her first 4th of July with family.

August

We took another road trip to Clearwater for Brian's family reunion. We packed for about two weeks even though we were only there two days #firsttimeparents. Got to see my 5th Taylor Swift concert with my bestie, and Brian tagged along too for the first time. Avery started crawling and we took lots of trips to Disney.

September


No one knew it at the time but Brian and I had finally come to the decision that I would be able to stay home with Avery! We ended the month with a fun stay at Aventura Hotel.

October

Attended a wedding in Sarasota - another road trip! Avery's first Halloween where we were Minnie, Mickey, and Pluto! We visited a pumpkin patch with friends. I had my last day at work and, as all girls do with major life changes, chopped off my hair.

November

Started life as a stay at home mom/blogger, loving every day! Started the holiday season decorating the house, taking our Christmas card photos, getting together with friends, and celebrating Thanksgiving with family.

December

Avery went to her first friend's first birthday party. Brian and I celebrated a decade together. Aves got to have lots of time with her new found loves - the Christmas tree and Santa (the plush version). She started walking with her push-walker, talking more, and her silly and sweet personality is really shining through! The big event of course was her first Christmas, which unfortunately coincided with her first cold (and one for me too). But it still was a very special day filled with memories we'll cherish forever!

And just like that the year comes to an end! Even the re-cap was jam packed but still flew by.

I probably feel this way every year, but I don't feel like any other year will change me as a person the way 2018 did. I mean becoming a mother only happens once a lifetime and nothing rocks your world in quite the same way.

I'm forever grateful for my husband who has been my rock through everything this year. He is such an amazing dad and the way he cares for his girls is unmatched.

I'm equally grateful for my parents, who have also been there for me this year (and my entire life of course!). A lot has changed but my love for them will always be a constant. I couldn't have made it through this year without them.

This year has also taught me a lot about friendships, old and new. One is silver and the other gold, as they say. As an adult I now value my friends in a whole new way. I love you all like family and even if we don't get to see each other a lot, know that you are always on my mind.

2019 - a new year. It's exciting and scary, another 12 months, 12 chapters waiting to be written. I've never had an official word of the year before but I want to come up with one for 2019, when I do I'll share it here on the blog.

Hope you all have a blessed new year!

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