"Is that a new year, or are you just happy to see me?"

I cannot even begin to express how quickly this year flew for us! I still remember hanging out, goofing around w/ my sister NYE 2009...and here we are, another year under our belts. I thought I would use this post as a reflection of the year we had since there were many things that happened that we will never forget....

February 1st 2010 an event took place that changed our family's lives forever (if you are a follower, you probably already know about this). That was the day I legally adopted our oldest daughter Ally. That day will forever be one of the greatest moments of my life, no doubt, in my daughter's as well. I have been co-raising Ally with my husband since she was 4, watching her grow and change into the beautiful young lady she is now has been an incredible gift. To be the Mother of such a special, bright child is an amazing blessing and I am in awe to be blessed with that title. I absolutely love that little girl (she'll always be my lil baby girl) and I cannot wait to see the impact she makes on this world.

My daughter and I @ the courthouse

With the Judge

Her birth certificate

February just kept getting better and BETTER! That was when I received the news that the 2 BEST people in this entire world were expecting their first child!!! And so the baking of Matthew James Leo Durbin began...

In April of 2010 we welcomed our 3rd and final child, a daughter, to this world. Brooklyn Grace was born April 5th 2010 at 7lbs 15oz and 20in long. To have a child is a gift from God, but Brooklyn was more than that for me. She was a 2nd chance. As most of you know, we went through a lot of Trials and Tribulations with the birth of our son, Ethan. I never knew what it was like to hold my newborn child while I recovered in the hospital... I never new what it was like to bring them home and wake up in the middle of the night for feedings...I never knew what it was like to breast feed my child and build that bond that only you and they share... With Brooklyn I got to experience all of those things, and though I don't love her any more or less than my other 2 children, I will always be grateful that she could help me experience all those things. It has been QUITE the Journey with our little Diva (I say that because she definitely knows WHAT she wants and WHEN she wants it... lol Just like her Momma!)! Brooklyn is now almost 9 months old, and though the time is flying by like the blink of an eye, she is such a joy to have, and already loved so much by her big brother and sister.

8wks

14 wks

19 wks (It's a GIRL!)

20wks

30 wks

36 wks

Momma & I @ my Baby Shower

Our first moments together

Proud Papa

Lawler Kids

When "Pretty" (one of Brooklyn's MANY nicknames) was 2 weeks old, my Bestest and her hubby came and visited us from WA. This was the first time they got to meet lil miss B, and it was particularly special because Paull (my bestest's husband) is Brooklyn's Godfather. Boy did he spoil  her rotten with gifts and kisses. Ethan was especially excited as well, as my Bestest is HIS Godmother! She is so good to him, I couldn't have picked a better person. :)

In June of 2010 we took out FIRST family trip up to June Lake, CA. We go there every year and were very excited to share this experience with our new family of 5. We brought my sister along with us to show her around, as well as help out with the babies. Let's just say by the end of the trip, my sister swore to NEVER go again, and I made Justin promise it would ONLY be a "guys trip" until Brooklyn is AT LEAST 5 years old. LOL We were ALL sick, and I think the higher altitude only made it worse. And to top it all off "Princess" Brooklyn DID NOT like being away from home. Though the trip, as a whole, pretty much sucked, we got some good pics.. ;) lol (will upload pics soon)

In July of 2010 Justin and I celebrated our 4 year wedding anniversary... I can't believe we've been married that long, though at the same time, it feels like it's been forever...

August 2010 Justin and I started P90X... HO-LY. SHIT! That stuff is intense! I only last about 3 weeks, but I lost 12 lbs doing it! lol  GO ME!

August 30th 2010, my "little" sister turned 22. 22!!!  It still seems like she's 12 to me. I love that as her and I get older, we get closer and closer. She's one of my best friends. LOVE YOU CURLY!

A truly amazing blessed event happened on October 20th 2010. My best friend, and one of the greatest people you could ever meet, gave birth to her first child, a son, Matthew James Leo Durbin. I met Jen and Paull through my husband, and though I met them almost 7 years ago, we didn't start becoming close till I got pregnant with Ethan. From then on we have talked almost ever single day. Jen and Paull have been through their own Trial and Tribulations with conceiving a baby, and with a strong heart, an a BOAT-LOAD of confidence, they pushed through it and were blessed with their beautiful, HEALTHY, baby boy. I love him, and I love them with all my heart.

Just Born

Paull and son

First Mommy Moment

All Smiles

Beautiful

Lil Stink Bug

Such a Happy Boy!

October 2010 also marked Brooklyn's first Halloween! I'm not much of a Halloween fan, but it was particularly fun this year because this is the first year Ethan truly got the concept. We had a great time trick or treating with our friends and their little ones. (and yes, OF COURSE i picked out B's Cupcake costume. lol) We also took our annual trip to the pumpkin patch @ Bates Nut Farm..this was our first time going as a completely family of 5... Not to brag but my kids are sooooooooooooooooooo cute!!! On the way home we stopped at My sister's boyfriend's fire station, and they were nice enough to take Ethan and Ally on a ride in 1 of the fire trucks!!!  SO COOL!

My Jack pumpkin

My Sally pumpkin

My Johnny Cupcake pumpkin

Clark Kent/Superman

Clark Kent & Lois Lane

I was SOOOO excited for November to come along because not only did I get to go up to Washington to visit my Bestest, but also meet her beautiful baby boy for the first time. This was also Brooklyn's first trip on an airplane, and out of state. I was a bit nervous because I was taking her all by myself, but she did ok... was WASN'T ok, was the fact that I MISSED my flight to Seattle that morning... UGH! Something that not everyone knows about me is that I have no internal compass what.so.ever. Not only did it take me twice the amount of time to get to Long Beach (STUPID OC traffic), but I couldn't find the damn airport!!!!  Finally I find it, pull in, and what do you know, UNDER CONSTRUCTION! The only place to park is a single parking structure, and I couldn't find the flippin entrance to it!  Needless to say my blood pressure was sky high at this point and our plane was set to take off in 15 minutes. I park, get Brooklyn in the stroller, grab out suitcase and RUN to the terminal. They get me rushed though security...OH WAIT...bottles... bottles for my baby took 10 minutes to check.. each one was inspected to make sure it was actually water. Now I appreciate TSA being thorough and protecting our safety, but at this point, I just wanted to punch someone in the nards....  Finally they're done with the inspection, and I have to put on my shoes, get Brooklyn back in her car seat, back in her stroller, pack up the diaper bag (ALL BY MYSELF) and book it to the terminal (aka. the other trailer.. LBC airport is a joke). I get there RIGHT AT 7:10am, when my plane is scheduled to leave and guess what... THERE'S NO FRIGGIN PLANE! Yeup, they left early... Well the nice man at the counter offered me 3 options a) Wait till the next flight to Seattle (which wasn't till 8pm that night! WTF?), b) refund my ticket (for a penalty fee) and book with another airline (the penalty fee was $100, I bought the round-trip ticket for $153...HELLO!) or c) Fly into Portland OR at 1:30pm and have Jen and Paull pick me up from there... WELL SHIIIIIIIIT. So, my Bestest, being the rad person she is, drove 2 hrs from their house to come and pick Brooklyn and I up at the Portland Airport.. Man, what an adventure! lol  But once we got their we had SUCH a good time!

On November 7th 2010, The day Brooklyn and I came back home from WA, was The Hub's 29th birthday! WHAT AN OLD FART!!!!  lol We had a fun bday dinner, though I missed my bestest, it was nice to be home again.

December came rolling around, MUCH too quickly might i add, and Christmas time was approaching. Though life still went on, and was busy as ever, we managed to get all the decorations up, and the tree lit. I say this EVERY YEAR, but it NEVER fails, i always end up wrapping everything on Christmas eve! Which you wouldn't think would be a huge deal, aside from the fact that every Xmas Eve we celebrate with my mom's side of the family... the Italian side. Good food, good times, good memories, every year. The downside to that, is that we don't get home till about 11 or 12am... So after staying up wrapping till about 2, and chatting it up with Santa ;) everything was done, and ready for the kids to see in the morning.

December 27th 2010 marked my 2nd to last birthday... The Hubs surprised me with a Tiffany's necklace, and I got the CUTEST homemade cards from the kids... I just love my babies. :)  One more Bday to go before I completely boycott the whole thing! lol

Which leads us up to the whole purpose of this post...New Years eve... A time to reflect on what "was" and what "should have been".... 2010 was a year of HUGE changes.. As I think back on them I get overwhelmed and wish for one moment I was Evie Garland (you know, from "Out of this World"...put your fingers together and freeze time...lol) and could just stop to take a breath... But as we all know, the world keeps going, and the only choice is to move forward. I'm not sure what 2011 has in store for us, but I am very excited/nervous to find out.

xoxox