Christmas and a New Year

Well, 2011 has come and gone. And what a year it was. Before I get to the year in review I'll share a bit about Allen's first Christmas.

Of course, Christmas Eve was Larry's birthday and he turned 28! Thirty is just around the corner. Muahaha. We went to temple square and looked at the lights. It was freezing but I'm glad we were able to take Allen.

Salt Lake Temple on Christmas Eve...Larry's 28th Birthday

Handsome boy on a cold night

Me and my boy at temple square

Then we drove around forever trying to find a place that was open so we could get Larry's b-day dinner. We finally got Applebees to go and went home to watch a movie. After the birthday festivities (i.e. cake) Allen opened his Christmas Eve jammies...so cute in his monkey jammers!

lots o' candles!

Just opened his Christmas Eve Jammies

Christmas morning, we opened presents and headed off to Church for the one hour block. Of course, I managed to be late. But anyway, it was the first time since 2008 that we'd been home to do Christmas so that was nice. Now that I'm not a kid anymore (when did that happen?) Christmas really doesn't matter to me in regards of presents. All I care about is that I have the gospel and my family.
Allen cared more about Larry's birthday balloon than his presents, but oh well. If he doesn't care so much about presents, it'll be easier to teach him that Christmas is really about Jesus...right?
Christmas night we got together at my sister Kaylynn's house with all of my family. It was the first time in years that we'd all been together on Christmas so that was really fun.

Such a pretty boy ;)

"His" balloon

Christmas morning...we did presents this year...see!

Allen thought "Scout" was pretty cool

Cute lil boy

He even got his own guitar!

First Christmas toys

Kodi got a Christmas toy too

Allen with his Campbell cousins on Christmas night

On December 29th, Larry thought it would be a grande idea to get a new puppy, and it just had to be a dachshund. I insisted we go to the shelter for an adult dog instead. We went to two shelters but Larry insisted on getting said dachshund. I tried. I really did. So Maisy joined the family and has been annoying me (and my dog Kodi) ever since. I'm learning to like her though and she seems to like me quite a bit...can you blame her? ;)

Allen likes her :)

Maisy with her tongue sticking out because she's "special"

smiling during a sun bath

Well, new year's eve rolled around and we didn't do anything special. In fact, Larry and Allen were both asleep before midnight. When the year ended I sat on the couch thinking about what a year it was.
The biggest highlight was of course, the arrival of our son Allen. We had waited three years and been through two miscarriages and infertility, but it was all worth it. The pregnancy had also been rough and it was so amazing to finally meet our precious baby boy.  Our lives met pure joy when Allen was born on February 22nd, 2011.  From the moment he was born he taught us about patience, love, and a positive attitude. He was born with club feet, pneumonia, and a rare airway virus that required him to be on home oxygen for 2 months. His first few months were quite a challenging time but also a very happy time.

Allen in the Nicu on his birthday 2/22/11

So in love

First casting in March '11

Eventually, he got out of the NICU, the oxygen tubes and tanks went away, the casts molded his feet so you couldn't even tell he was born with a birth defect, and with time, everything got better. We couldn't be more blessed to have such a healthy little guy. It's been so wonderful having our sweet little boy in our home. Seriously, I looove being a mom and having such a sweet, silly baby.

Allen in October '11

Larry also started the year with a bang by having major surgeries back to back (end of 2010 and beginning of 2011). He had his ileostomy reversed when Allen was just two weeks old and had just barely come home. Fortunately the surgery was successful and Larry's health/crohn's disease was pretty stable this year. (The previous year was horrible...)

Larry after his toughest surgery yet, March '11

Not much went on in terms of "me" but I've really enjoyed being home with Allen and taking care of him. I work at the vet on Saturdays and then have a work at home job for a cloth diaper company during the week that I get to do when Allen takes naps. My "real job" if you ask me, is being Allen's mom. I'm pretty proud of that :)

Spring/Summer of '11

Our lives were up and down quite a bit throughout the year. Yet 2011 will forever be one of the best years ever because it was the year I became a mom to my amazing baby boy :) I've loved all the memories we've created together. I can't put it into words. I know it sounds cheesy, but really, I can't describe the joy of having a baby and being a parent. I feel like with all the challenges in life, it really is true that if we're faithful, "all of our losses will be made up." I know for myself because Larry and I have not had it easy. And yet we were blessed with a one of a kind spirit as our son and he makes up for everything else. We're really in awe of him and he helps us and teaches us so much. We  thank Heavenly Father for him every. single. day.

First family Christmas Card!

Here's to 2012! (Now that we're already three weeks into it....:)