For any of you that have been blessed enough to call yourself a parent, you will understand that this year was the best year of our lives. We didn’t leave the country (I mean does Canada really count?), no huge work promotions (unless you count my promotion to full-time mom), no fancy house remodels or anything like that – but we did succeed in the biggest accomplishment of our lives… welcoming Lillian Brooke into this world and managing not to screw things up too badly in this first 7 months of her life.
We see in her so much of ourselves – for better or worse. She is incredibly attractive (I think she got that from her grandmas), she had incredible eye hand coordination, a taste for all flavors Mexican and a love of the water (Schlameus family inheritance for sure). She is also a bit emotional (not afraid to have the loudest laugh in the room… or to let out a good cry), she is social (never happier than when other babies are around), and enjoys being outside even if it means bundling up for a walk in the snow in 20 degree weather… all throw backs from the Warren/Skeeters group to be sure.
We have managed to drag Lily with us on the road and in the air for trips with friends and family every month since she’s been born, making sure she’s accustomed at a young age to our love for travel, whether it’s camping, wine tasting, beer festivals, golf trips or flights to visit with family.
When staying in town we have been incredibly blessed to have visits from family, weekly kidnapping from Lily’s local grandmas & aunts, my Dad and Brenna’s big move back to Seattle (living just 10 minutes from our house) and lots of friends that have been incredibly supportive when we have needed it most, whether it was being there to do the baby bounce with our “emotional” newborn or take us out for a break when we needed to get away. THANK YOU.
Being a parent is the most exciting, scariest, rewarding experience of our lives and we are just lucky enough to have Lillian to test it all out on as we figure out this journey together. This parenting stuff is not for the faint at heart. You worry more but love deeper than you ever thought possible – and not just for your baby but for your new “family unit”. Brett and I are a new “team” attacking this mom & dad thing head on, keeping each other laughing days after sleepless nights and finding new ways to stay entertained around nap schedules and early bedtimes.
Other exciting news outside of parenthood…we have been lucky enough to gain a brother-in-law this year as Brooke, Brett’s little sister and best friend of myself, married Jake Ware in Leavenworth, WA this summer. Another family addition came just a month after Lily was born – our sweet new nephew, Jimmy, who we were able to love on in Denver this Thanksgiving. As for work, as I hinted above, I have taken a break from my career at Amazon.com to focus on raising Lillian full time while Brett has continued to enjoy his career in Intellectual Property law as an attorney at Lee & Hayes PLLC.
Signing off for now, more updates to come - we hope this note finds each of you happy and healthy. Thank you for the continued love and support each of you have shown our families this year. Cheers to each of you!
A look back at 2010...
January: Babymoon in Miami & the Keys (*click for more pics/blog)
February: Baby Prep! *
March: Lucy and "the bump"
April: Lily Arrives!*
May: Yakima Golf Tourney & Wine Tasting Trip - make shift changing table in back of winery*
June: Lake Chelan, Washignton*
July: UPS Annual College Reunion at Brewers Festival in Portland, OR
August: Brooke & Jake's Wedding*
September: First Camping Trip!*
October: Oktoberfest in Leavenworth, WA for "Aunt" Kimmy's 30th*
November: Thanksgiving in Denver
First Snow: In our backyard in Seattle
