Atwood Family: Happy New Year!!!!!

I know this is a bit late but better late than never. I always like to do a recap of the year around Christmas and New Years just to let all my friends and family that I don't see very often to know how we are doing and what is going on in our lives.

This was kind of a crazy year for us. It was busy with Jesse being in school for his last semester, me being pregnant and having lots of doctors appointments, me having gestational diabetes, being blessed with the birth of Lexie, Riley becoming a big brother, and having to deal with him not having all the attention all the time, Jesse getting a new job, moving to Stirling, and then hearing that we have to move again after only living there for 4 1/2 months. There was lots and lots of stress this year so we are very glad to have this year over and to see what exciting things 2011 has in store for us.

Jesse finished his last semester of school at Nait in the Landscape Architecture program. He graduated in May. He worked for Classic Landscapes at the tree farm during the spring and summer while trying to find a job. He wanted to find a job in Edmonton or Sherwood Park because we had just moved to Sherwood Park in the summer of 2009 and we really really loved it there, but things don't always go as planned. Jesse had done a work week in Lethbridge for school in the fall of 2009 at Stantec. Well, the boss there contacted Jesse in June and asked if he was still looking for a job. Jesse went for an interview at Stantec in Lethbridge in July. They offered him a job during the interview. It had full benefits and paid more than any job in his field in Edmonton or Calgary. He took the job and we ended up moving to Stirling in September. We lived with Tammy and Craig for 3 weeks until we found a place since we weren't able to find something earlier (I was very pregnant and ready to have Lexie anyday). We moved into a beautiful house in Stirling only to learn 2 months later that they sold the house and now we have to be out the end of January:( So we are busy now preparing for yet another move. Good thing it is only to Lethbridge and we were able to find a place very quickly. Jesse is happy to be closer to work and not have to make the 25 minute drive or more (in winter) anymore.

I spent half of the year pregnant. It was a good pregnancy. I wasn't sick this time around at all. Riley kept me on my toes!! I had gestational diabetes again but managed it well and had a very good labor and delivery. I had been worried all year about being huge in the hot summer and how uncomfortable that would be but wasn't even really hot all summer. It was probably the coldest summer I can remember with lots of rain. We did do some fun things with Riley before Lexie was born like going to spray parks, taking him swimming, taking him to WestEd on the rides, and to the Edmonton Zoo. On July 26 we were blessed with the birth of our beautiful baby girl Lexie Kaye. We love her sooo much. She is such a good baby!!

Riley has grown us so much this last year. He has had kind of a hard year, becoming a big brother for the first time, moving (and we will be moving again this month). He enjoys playing at the park, swimming, playing with trains, going to Stay and Play and playing with other kids, helping me cook and prepare food, going for walks (he misses our old house for that, there were so many trails around to go for walks and he loved walking around our townhouse complex), reading stories, eating treats, singing songs, giving Lexie hugs and kisses, doing puzzles, and playing Baseball on the Wii! When Lexie was born he was really upset for a few months, having numerous tantrums, and trying to get us to get rid of Lexie (he kept taking her diapers, blankets and carrier seat by the front door). Then we moved so it got even worse. He didn't get to see any of his little friends anymore, or go to any of his favorite places. He is doing MUCH better now and really really loves his little sister. He likes to play with her and make her laugh. He is always giving her kisses and likes to help me pick out her socks and shoes everyday. One awesome thing that has happened at the end of 2010 to Riley is he finally started talking!!! Wahoo!! He said nothing except 'mommy' and 'daddy' until Lexie was born and then he started saying 'baby." He made a few animal sounds when he would see certain animals at the zoo but he never said anything ever until then. I was kind of worried. Then around the middle of October just before Halloween he started saying a few words. Then in November he was saying more and more words and telling us what shapes and colors things were (don't remember teaching him those), then in December he started counting to 10, telling us the name of animals what color they were and what sound they made, as well as naming cars, trucks, etc. So he is doing really well, so I can stop worrying lol!! It makes life a lot easier when he can tell me what he wants to eat and drink and what things are etc.

Lexie is such a sweet little baby. We love her. She has changed so much already in such a short time. She is 5 months old now. She now sleeps 10-12 hours at night. She smiles like crazy and loves to watch her big brother play. He comes and lays beside her while she lays and plays on her playmat, it's so sweet. She takes a bottle no problem which makes life a lot easier (Riley wouldn't take a bottle at all until he was 9 months old). She is just starting to laugh and grab toys to play with and of course everything she grabs goes in the mouth.

We had a good Christmas, we went to my parents house for a yummy steak dinner on Christmas Eve. We spent Christmas at our house with our kids and nobody else. For the first time since we have been married, we haven't had to pack up the van full of Christmas gifts and other luggage. Riley was really excited for Santa to come. He had been asking for about 10 days everyday if Santa was coming that night!! He got a kitchen from Santa and he was also very excited about his train set!! He loves trains and was so exited when he open it. He had a big smile on his face and was jumping up and down. Lexie got a few baby toys, teething rings, baby food (time to start solids soon), and a play table with lots of fun toys on it.

We spent the rest of Christmas at Jesse's sister Tammy's house for Christmas dinner and then headed to Bow Island to see his parents who just got home from their mission (Vancouver Canada Mission). They reported their mission on the 26th and so we went to hear them speak. We also had a little dinner at the church after and they had a little fireside with just the family to tell us all experiences from their mission. It was fun for the whole family (48 of us now) to all get together. It doesn't happen very often. We had a good time and then that night 32 of us stayed at his parents house. It was a little crazy but we all had fun playing games and visiting. We went home to Stirling and then to my parents house for New Years. That pretty much sums up our year!!

Thanks for reading!! Sorry it was soooooo long winded!! It is more for me so I can have it for a record. All the best to you all in 2011!!!!

Here are some fun photos of the year!!