highlights of 2017.

{My Insta #bestnine2017}

Happy 2018!

January. My family came into town to celebrate a late Christmas, I was well into my third trimester with Baby Foot, Amanda threw me a beautiful Mama Celebration, and I was still making it to my Sunday afternoon Pure Barre class. Eloise and I saw Caspar Babypants in concert at the Land of Nod, finished up our Mama-and-Me dance class, and attended story time all month at the library.

February. Baby Foot was “full term” as we entered Birthday Month (but decided not to make an appearance this month; see next month…) and we had our last meeting with Jennie, our doula, before the birth. And I started seeing the midwives every week. Eloise turned two-and-a-half. We had play dates with friends, a (birthday/Valentine’s Day) date night at my very favorite restaurant Serafina, went to the Children’s Museum, and I had my first (and only) pre-natal massage. I celebrated my 32nd birthday and got to have lunch with my childhood best friend and her son! I shared some maternity photos. I got a mani-pedi and Aaron and Eloise had a date to the Symphony. I posted my last pregnancy weekly picture (at 39 weeks). My mom and dad arrived into town. My due date came. And went. We waited. And Eloise told her friends and teachers that I had a baby BOY even though I didn’t! At 41 weeks I went to see the mid-wife and had my membranes swept (and started scheduling an ultrasound and no-stress test for the end of the week). My dad had to fly home. I went to bed early and then went into labor!

March. We welcomed Daphne Lucille into our family! Eloise and Grammie came to the hospital to meet Baby Daphne, and our wonderful friends started bringing us meals and coming for visits. We started Daphne’s weekly picture series. Amanda watched Daphne so Eloise and I could get out for a date! We had our first family photoshoot with Meg. We found our new normal after my mom went home and Aaron returned back to work. So many baby snuggles. I shared my second newborn and post-parum essentials. We hosted a Baby Shower En Blanc for Jess, Cale, Big Sister Jaz, and Baby Austin!

April. Daphne turned ONE month! Eloise had spring break and my mom came back into town for a visit, we celebrated Easter and ventured up to the Tulip Festival. We started grocery delivery with Amazon Fresh. I was cleared at my post-partum check-up and started back to my regular Sunday afternoon Barre classes. We went up to visit Jess and meet Baby Austin! My dad came into town for a visit to meet Daphne (since had to leave to return home and then I went into labor!).

May. We headed to Indiana on our first trip as a family of four and for Daphne’s first plane ride. Daphne got to meet so many of her family members on Aaron’s side including Great Grandparents, Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, and cousins. I celebrated my third Mother’s Day! I started a six week Pure Barre Challenge and going to class 4 times per week. Uncle David came into town. We celebrated Aaron’s 34th birthday! We had a family dinner date (a monthly tradition!) with the Sadliers. We celebrated my old friend Sascha’s nuptials and had a low-key Memorial Day weekend. Daphne participated in her first UW lab study.

June. Daphne turned THREE months! Aaron started the first half of his paternity leave (6 weeks)! We celebrated our friend Ford’s first birthday (and the birthday parties begin!). And my mom came into town for a long weekend. We took a day trip out to Bainbridge Island via the ferry to see our friend Jerry, and we applied for (and got) every one a (new) passport! We celebrated Father’s Day! Eloise went to the dentist (and Daphne tagged along but didn’t have any teeth yet). We went to an end-of-the-school-year-potluck for Eloise, and celebrated our friend Lucy’s first birthday and our friend Madeleine’s fifth birthday. I (successfully) completed my Barre Challenge! We had friends over for dinner and went strawberry picking out in Duvall. We celebrated our friend Ella’s birthday and Uncle Stan and Aunt Kathi came into town for a visit (en route to Alaska).

July. We celebrated our friend Amelie’s birthday as well as the Fourth of July with the annual neighborhood parade and a small BBQ at our house. We headed to Boise for our first family road trip and we saw my siblings and the CBC girls (my oldest and dearest friends) and their families. Daphne got her first haircut (trim). Aaron headed back to work. We had dinner with (Uncle) Ben and (Aunt) Sarah, and Daphne and I celebrated Sami and Baby Sweeney. I had a “mama’s night out” date with my PEPS girlfriends. We enjoyed the beautiful PNW summer.

August. Aaron and I celebrated our SEVENTH wedding anniversary! We attended the annual Night Out Block Parties in our neighborhood. We celebrated (late) with a date night out and the best dessert ever (Hello Robin in Capitol Hill). We celebrated Eloise’s THIRD birthday with a big party at the house. We had a girls play date with the Steiners and I got hooked on Lipsense lipstick. We celebrated Eloise’s birthday! She had her well-child check-up and a birthday dinner. We celebrated so many of our friends’ August birthdays: Harlon, Ethan, Beatrice, Clive, Clark, Clara, Caleb, Lily, and Eli. We had play dates with friends and enjoyed the end of the summer. Daphne learned how to (army) crawl. Eloise and I headed back to school for an open house.

September. We took a trip to the Zoo. Eloise stayed overnight at the Sadliers’ for her first night away, and Aaron, Daphne, and I went out on a sushi date at Musashi’s and ice cream at Molly Moon’s (basically the best date EVER)! We picked up Eloise and headed over to Flower World in Maltby to pick up some plants for the yard. We celebrated Labor Day and the end of summer vacation. We had a play date with two new neighbors. Daphne turned SIX MONTHS and Eloise started her second year of pre-school! We kicked-off football season at the Andersons’. We had a family date night at the Zoo. Daphne and I had play dates with new friends while Eloise was in school. My mom and dad came to visit. Eloise got her first haircut, and then dim sum and ice cream after! Sadie had her annual check-up and was in great health! My dear friend Ashley came into town for a quick work trip, so we had dinner at Marination Station. We celebrated our friend Seraphina’s first birthday with donuts at the playground. I shared pics of Eloise’s big kid room. We celebrated Sadie’s TWELFTH birthday! I took my first Pure Empower class (and it was awesome!) and we had family dinner with friends/neighbors.

October. I re-launched The Petite Flag Shop for Halloween and fall, and we all got flu shots. I posted my second nursing essentials post. We flew to MEXICO (everyone got new stamps in their passports!) and stayed for a week of vacation and celebrating Maggi and Greg’s nuptials! I celebrated my SIXTH blogging anniversary! I had a fun night out with my PEPS mama friends. The girls and I headed over to a PEPS Halloween play date, including everyone’s costumes. We got a babysitter for the girls and headed out to Ben and Sarah’s annual Ghouls Near Greenlake party (dressed as Where’s Waldo?). I started researching pre-K programs for Eloise and we had play dates with friends. We celebrated our friend Emerson’s first birthday, and had dinner with the Andersons. I got back into my Sunday afternoon Barre class and we went to a fun Halloween party. Daphne celebrated her first Halloween. We watched our neighborhood’s annual Halloween Parade (complete with drum line) and trick-or-treated with Eloise the cupcake and Daphne the donut.

November. I launched free shipping sitewide at The Petite Flag Shop, and we had our annual family photoshoot in SLU. We survived daylight saving time ending. We celebrated Friendsgiving at the Andersons’ house marking the fourth year! Eloise turned three-and-a-quarter. Our neighbors started a new backyard project and we got (part of) a new fence. I shared our travel essentials for the girls since I had lots of questions from friends. We had our first Hello Fresh meal delivery and LOVED it! We headed to Boise for the week of Thanksgiving and got to catch-up with lots of friends and family. I cut my hair short! We celebrated Thanksgiving with my family. SO much to be thankful for this year. I launched the Holiday Shop at The Petite Flag Shop. We drove home and stopped at Sumpter Junction for breakfast and Eloise LOVED the train. I got new glasses from Warby Parker (there is one at U Village, but you can also do a home try-on) and we started touring pre-K pre-schools for Eloise for next school year. I started decorating for CHRISTMAS!

December. Daphne turned NINE months! We had family dinner night at the Sadliers’ house, and we hosted a Jingle & Mingle hot chocolate party at the house. We celebrated our friend Nathan’s fourth birthday. I did a Pinterest Christmas blog series, but kept it really low-key. We all have matching family Christmas jammies (if you know me, this is my dream!). We saw Santa at Nordstrom Flagship where Eloise asked for a baby stroller, a scuba diver, and a chew toy for Baby Daphne. We sent out Christmas cards and I updated the blog header. Eloise started (pre) ballet class, and we had dinner with friends down at Greenlake for the Pathway of Lights celebration. We attended a Caspar Babypants concert (at a brewery!) and I started BBG. Aaron started the second half of his paternity leave! I went on the BEST mama date with Amanda (we ate and shopped in Ballard) and I found this amazing cleaning spray. We kept to our annual tradition of seeing WildLights at Woodland Park Zoo. We watched Boise State crush Oregon in the Las Vegas Bowl, but haven’t managed to watch any other bowl game this season. Eloise started Winter Break and we said good-bye to one of her teachers who is moving to the Olympic Peninsula. We headed to storytime at the library (Daphne’s first time!) and the girls both saw the dentist. We celebrated Christmas as a family of four, Santa came, we brunched with Ben and Sarah, FaceTimed with family, and had a small Christmas dinner. We watched the Huskies play in the Fiesta Bowl. And celebrated the New Year!

2017 was quite. a. year. And quite possibly the best ever! I know I say that every single year, but this year we got to meet Daphne and Eloise became a big sister. Doesn’t get much better than that! {I have to add that personally, we had a WONDERFUL year, but as a country maybe we can do a little better next year? Just putting that out into the universe.}

And as much as this year was really so fantastic, I can’t wait to see what 2018 has in store!

Happy New Year’s friends!

M

And see our previous years’ highlights: 2016 // 2015 // 2014 // 2013 // 2012 // 2011

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