What a Year!

WOW. When I think back 365 days, I am simply amazed at how much my life has changed in such a relatively short period of time. This was the year that Mike and I became parents, as well as homeowners! Here is a brief month-by-month synopsis of 2008, the year that was:

JANUARY: Since the holidays were over, I was really starting to get excited about Aiden's arrival; I had my first baby shower at my folks' house, and then even got to "see" Aiden a bit early with a 3-D ultrasound. Mike and I also took our hospital tour and our birthing class--talk about a wake-up call!

FEBRUARY: Two more baby showers--one at work and one at my mother-in-law's--helped stock us up for Aiden's impending arrival. We also picked our pediatrician this month, and I really started getting uncomfortable sleeping at night.




MARCH: Aiden was due on the 23rd--Easter Sunday--but at my check-up in the first week of the month, it was decided that we would induce early since I was low on fluid and the poor guy was running out of room in there. So we scheduled the induction for the next Wednesday--and of course that weekend we got 27 inches of snow! I remember rubbing my tummy, begging him not to make an early appearance, while we were snowed in at Mike's folks' house. Aiden listened a little too well; we went in for our induction at 8:30 AM on Wednesday the twelfth, and the little fart didn't arrive until 6:08 the next morning! I know it sounds cliche, but I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat. Mike turned 30 a week later, so he had a child while he was in his twenties by the hair on his chin!

APRIL: To be fair, the thing I remember most about April was the lack of sleep and lamenting at how fast my maternity leave was flying by.





MAY: We lost Mike's Grandma Lynch this month; she had a beautful soul and we miss her dearly. I also switched from being a SAHM to a working mom, which has both its advantages and disadvantages.




JUNE: Mike and I celebrated our 2-year wedding anniversary, and my bestest bud Angie gave birth to Ms. Rachel, Aiden's future bride!!!






JULY: After a very brief search and negotiation, Mike and I became homeowners! We spent most of the month planning our impending move.







AUGUST: After a week of painting, Mike, Aiden and I moved into our first home.






SEPTEMBER: Time for OSU football! For a six-month-old, Aiden sure seemed to enjoy it (or at least the red our Buckeyes wear).






OCTOBER: We lost my Uncle John at the beginning of this month--a sad time for my family, but he's in a much better place than any of us could imagine. On a happier note, Aiden got another cousin--Christopher Patrick was born on the 15th! Also of note: more football, my 29th birthday (which I will henceforth be repeating several times over), and Aiden's first Halloween--Cutest. Puppy. Ever. :)



NOVEMBER: A presidential election with an outcome that didn't have me considering a move to Canada (my bad--NO MORE POLITICS)! Aiden got to experience his first Thanksgiving, though it was Mommy & Daddy that got to enjoy the trimmings!



DECEMBER: A lot of ups and downs this month (you can get the details here), but ending on a high note as Aiden celebrated his first Christmas!

And so here we are, about to say goodbye to a year that brought so much change. 2009 holds the promise for more--stay tuned for that--but we here at the Cotter household are turning our hopeful eyes to the future while not forgetting our past. HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!!!!