Why not sum up 2013 in one post?
January and February..were pretty great. Jake, Brody and I were enjoying my maternity leave and got to do some fun things while I was home with them. A winter blizzard came in early February and we survived!
Alex was extended in his long term sub position until the end of the school year. What a blessing that was!
The end of February came the broken leg for Jake...traumatizing for us all. Phone into the toilet just minutes before, lost on the way to the hospital, carrying a crying 4 year old and a 5 month old to the car was impossible but done. Jake was one brave boy and even had me convinced when we got to the hospital that maybe his leg wasn't broken. It was. A cast..wheelchair..lots of love from family and friends. Toys..lot's of "feel better toys".
The following week, I went back to work and Kaylin jumped in as their nanny. The transition was a tad rough for Jake. He was very used to me being home and wanted me to stay home forever. We all did. It wasn't happening.. A broken leg, his mom going back to work, no more daycare and his brother moving into his bedroom. Woah. It was a lot but we all survived!
The spring went well and Jake was back outside running as if his leg was never broken. Yes, he favored it a bit..but he healed amazingly well and quickly. Daddy coached lacrosse and his team did very well.. just one win from the finals. Coach had a great season!
Summer brought trips to the spray park at the Y, lots of parks, Jake's outdoor birthday party (Octonaut themed), a trip to Ogunquit Maine with the Ronan family for Christian's run. Jake lost his two bottom teeth at Papa's house in early July. The tooth fairy came and he was excited to get money under his pillow. Alex had his neck surgery late July and he also healed like a champ. A couple of weeks later we went to Lake George and had a great time with family. The Mini ha ha, Great Escape, the beach, arcade games, campfires, grilling out and Saratago were highlights. Jake won many races with his #5 horse!
Alex and Jake headed back to school at the end of August. A HUGE highlight was that Alex stopped smoking cigarettes on Jake's first day of school. We are SO very proud of him for accomplishing this. I know it's not always easy for him but he has not bought a pack since August and I couldn't be more proud.
School is school.. Jake is doing great and his handwriting is getting great and his writing is so cute!! He amazes us with his sentences and his reading.
Brody's first borthday party (pumpkins) was great and we were again blessed to be surrounded by family and friends. He had a great time and all the kids who came dressed in costume! He was a pumpkin, Corey was Elmo, Jake was Yoda, we had fairies and princes and lots of fun!!
Halloween was great as well.. Yoda and Clark Kent had a great time walking Mimi And Grampy's neighborhood. We even did a few houses on our street...very cute and very fun.
Thanksgiving was spent in RI with our family here and it was a lot of fun..and a lot less stressful with a short ride rather than a long one to MA.. although we missed our out of state fam! Alex started coaching girls basketball soon after and is liking it.
Christmas season was magical. Jake is still obsessed with the 12 Days of Christmas and loves to sing Christmas carrolls! We met Santa just days before Christmas at Bass Pro Shop and both boys smiled happily on his lap! Christmas eve was spent at the Rainvilles..Christmas morning at our house..a few hours of opening presents and enjoying the moments. We trucked it to Papa's house and then the Stabach home that day. We had LOTS of fun with grandparents, cousins and aunts and uncles. Christmas night at the Stabach home has been a tradition I look forward to all year. It reminds me of Christmas Eve at my grandmothers house.. family family and more family. We then had RI Christmas a few days later at Mimi & Grampy's and enjoyed breakfast and presents there this year without having to rush off. The kids were spoiled and we had a a great time with ALL of our family.
2014 is here and we hope its a fabulous year for the Gregson family! We have lots of goals this year and are hoping to accomplish them. This WILL be year Alex gets his permanent teaching job! #believe.
Second child Brody has not been as documented as his older brother..the guilt continues! He was walking at 10 months, is talking up a storm lately (gibberish) and got his first haircut on Jan. 4th! He cried the entire time! At the end he was happy to get his prize and was pulling at where his hair had been for 14 months. While I did NOT want to cut it.. he looks much better and his beautiful blue eyes can seen clearly now. He loves his big brother and always wants to do what he is doing. "What does the Fox say?" is their favorite song and they both sing and dance when it comes on. Brody can say "Jah" for Jake, Dada for Daddy, Mama, ya ya, mimi.. and his newest is BYE! He giggles and loves to be tickled like his big brother..loves jumping on our bed, waking up at about 6:30-7 each morning and running the house. Jake and him could run the house for hours if we let them. They love chasing each other. It's really awesome to see their relationship grow. Big Bro & Little Bro..the love of our lives.
Speaking of love.. Tuesday marks the 17 year mark for Alex and I. It's so crazy to us that 17 years has passed so quickly. Seems like just yesterday we were Juniors at the Mack and living life as single kid free college students. We have been blessed with some amazing things over the past 17 years but by far J & B top the list. We are exhausted daily, do heaps of laundry weekly, go through more bread, peanut butter, jelly and milk than I could ever imagine..but i couldn't imagine life without them.
