2009: the year in review

January: In January of this year, I was in my second trimester. I also started to get very sick. It started out as a cold - it got worse and worse and eventually turned into pneumonia, which is the LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH OF PREGNANT WOMEN. It turned into a sinus infection at some point which made my face hurt - a lot. I was afraid of falling on the ice and hurting the babe. I wasn't big enough for maternity clothes but my pants were all too tight. I also remember being extremely afraid to drive. I have never minded driving in the snow, having grown up in Pittsburgh. I know how to guide a sliding car into a guard rail if I have to - but when you have a little body inside you, that airbag is scary. In non-baby related news, I took my favorite grad school class so far. The Steelers won the SUPERBOWL. The last time this happened, Kevin and I were dating and we were fairly intoxicated in a bar with a bunch of people. This time, we were in our living room with Stacey and Ken and Kevin was the only one who was even remotely intoxicated. I was stone cold sober and I can tell you it is definitely more fun when you are drinking.

February: We went to the ultrasound and found out that we were going to have a girl! My now boss, who is a friend and grad school classmate of mine, started talking about possibly hiring me to work for her. Went to a great dinner with Amy and Scott at one of my very favorite restaurants for Valentines Day. It's possible that Lily, their new baby was in Amy's tummy at the time, but we didn't know it. I missed out on snow tubing due to pregnancy. This year, we can take turns watching the squirt. Last year, this was not an option. I was very, very bored.

March: Our friend, Kelly, had her baby, Chase. She had a pregnancy wrought with all sorts of predicted problems so when Chase came out healthy and strong, it was a huge relief. I felt Cassidy move for the first time. I went to Athens and made a mess of my trip there - although I spent more time with Bob than I have in years and that was really nice.

April: My co-workers threw me a surprise baby shower along with 2 other pregnant ladies. It was really nice. For the first time, ever in my life, I personally purchased a new piece of furniture. It was a changing table/dresser for Cassidy. I said something somewhat insensitive that was related to politics to an Iraqi war veteran without meaning to and caused them to cry. This was one of the low points of the year. I started pre-natal yoga - a pregnancy high point.

May: My birthday weekend was as good as it gets when you're pregnant. My husband used his hotel reward points and booked us a room at a nice hotel and took me to an amazing dinner at a restaurant that rocked my world. Especially the caesar salad. Pregnant ladies make a cheap date - no cocktails.

June: My baby shower. It is amazing how many people love us (me, Kevin, and now Cassidy.) I forgot a good friend's birthday even though I spent her b-day weekend with her - it was horrible. I interviewed for my current job, even though it seemed kind of crazy to change jobs at this hectic, changing, new life chapter. I was having some mild contractions during the interview.

July: I was offered the job. I took the job. Kevin's birthday evening started with a nice dinner at a good restaurant and ended with me getting induced in the hospital. Cassidy was born a day and a half later. It was the most exciting experience of my life. Then I nearly died from hemoraging, which was not as bad as it sounds, but pretty bad. The next three weeks were the most difficult experience of my life. Being sleep deprived, hormone-wacky, mostly isolated from society in general and out of any semblence of routine while trying to do something very important that you have never done before just totally sucks. My mom was extremely helpful and Kevin was downright heroic. But I did not feel mentally or emotionally right for at least 3 weeks. Next time, I am getting the anti-anxiety meds prescribed before labor even begins. For the first few weeks of her life, I just did what needed to be done, slept when I could and worried constantly about her.

August: We went on a lovely vacation to the New York Finger Lakes. We drank a lot of wine and got a lot of baby breaks. Thank God for Grammie. It was the first time since her birth that I felt ok and semi-sane and actually had fun. I still had a lot of anxiety and exhaustion. But my family was very good to us and we got to relax a bit. I tried to ride my mom's bike 10 miles and quit halfway. Bike riding a few weeks after giving birth is a bad idea. I returned to work and resigned. I started to feel human again and began to truly love and enjoy my baby instead of just doing what needed to be done and worrying about her.

September: I started my new job. I got into a real routine and began to feel not just ok, but good. Like myself. I am not stay-at-home-mom material in any way. I do so much better at a job. In a routine. Out of the house. When i am with Cassidy, our time is quality and I enjoy most every moment. I stopped pumping breastmilk, which was kind of a bummer, but that whole thing just didn't go as planned. She started smiling, which is amazing. Grad school started back up. I fell in love with qualitative research. We had a little get together for people to meet Cassidy. It is the first outdoor party we've had at our house. It went well but we bought way too much beer.

October: Baby Girl reverted to a challenging sleep pattern. We have resorted to co-sleeping about half the night. First Halloween. Dressed up like a Monkey of course.

November: Cassidy started rolling over. I went away for an overnight to a conference and left daddy and baby together. Haley and Jesse got engaged. I spent most of Thanksgiving morning at the Mission helping get ready for the big meal service.

December: Finished my 3rd semester of grad school. Lily Grace arrived - finally. Kevin and I went to see KISS live at the arena. Got all my shopping done, somehow. Enjoyed our first Christmas as a family. Stayed in with Kevin, Cassidy, Darrick and Amanda for New Year's Eve.

Overall, I give the year a 9.5 It was a lot more low key than any previous year since I was a child and I missed out on a few fun activities and travel opportunities. But the best thing that has ever happened to us took place this year - Cassidy. Nothing life-changingly, irreversibly horrible happened and our lives are better than ever with the little peanut around. Best. Year. Yet.