HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I love New Year's. I feel like New Year's is a new beginning. I love spring because spring is fresh and new and it's like the world is waking up after a long winter, but New Year's is like a glimpse of that in the middle of winter. OK, so the flowers aren't blooming, but it's a fresh new year.

It's a time to reflect and remember 2008... what a year, and then to look forward to all the possibilities for 2009!

2008 memories:

• Finding out that we were pregnant! (Shai learning that she couldn't go on the big rides at Disneyland).
• Taking Dayton to Disneyland for the first time... to see Disneyland through the eyes of a 3 year old (well actually he was still 2... he was 2 months shy of his 3rd birthday).
• The difficult part of pregnancy and passing out while being home alone with Dayton.
• Getting my fruit basket from Jerome delivered to work (when they don't deliver to Auburn).
• Finding out that we were having a girl! Amara Shai Drazkowski.
• Getting a roof up on our trailer at the property... the work party!
• Listening to Dayton talking to his sister in his mommy's tummy.
• All the different weekends at the property!
• Watching Dayton learn to pedal his tricycle and the toys at Grandma's.
• Savannah (Jerome's sister) coming up from Texas to visit!
• Jerome installing A/C for me during the last months of pregnancy... in the heat of the summer!
• Jerome wrapping up Washington Square and starting up the Hyatt.
• Painting the nursery... princess theme with pink and purple.
• Jerome getting me the Dooney and Burke diaper bag.
• The scare of labor with Amara being breach, and the emergency C-section.
• The beautiful birth of our beautiful daughter!
• Jerome being sent to ER for heart-attack like symptoms.
• Dayton dealing with the emotions of having a fire next door to daycare.
• Jerome in the hospital for an Angiogram and finding out... no blockage... yeah!!
• Painting Dayton's room... Lightening McQueen theme with red, blue, and yellow.
• The "Rock'n" Christmas party, complete with Karaoke.
• The Christmas Tree Train ride the next day.
• Jerome donating to Pasado's in my name for a gift.
• The snow... all the snow this year during Christmas!

I look forward to 2009 being a great year of happiness, excitement, fun and firsts.

Dayton will be turning 4 (can you believe it) FOUR. Anyway, he got a bike with training wheels for Christmas, so he will be working on that. He's in gymnastics and swimming and he loves his music and family. We will have a wonderful year exploring with him.

Amara will be 1... she'll learn to eat solid foods, crawl, walk, talk. She will have a big year of growing and blossoming into a little toddler. We will start her in swimming when she's 6 months old in February. Again, we will have a wonderful year exploring with her.

Jerome and I already have a two trips planned for just the two of us this year. The alone time is important for us and as much as we will miss the kids, we are looking forward to some date time! ;o) We also have several weekend get-aways planned with the kids mostly to go to Oregon and the property. I'm looking forward to Mother's Day to the Olympic Game Farm and Father's day to the ocean with the kids.

Another year of new beginnings and old traditions. I love New Year's!