Happy New Year!

Wow! I cannot believe that it is 2013.  At this time last year, we were looking forward to welcoming a new baby into our home in 2012 - we had no idea that it would be such a challenge or that she'd spend 1/3 of the year in the hospital.  We didn't even know that she'd be a girl named Lucy!  We were reminiscing on the year and that first doctor's appointment when we found out about her hydrocephalus and remembered that they told us we had to decide if we wanted to continue with the pregnancy.  What a terrible tragedy it would have been never to have met baby Lucy! 

It was definitely a year of highs and lows for us as a family - from the joy of a new life to the sorrow in knowing that she will have a difficult journey through life.  From the excitement of moving back to Minnesota to the sadness of leaving our first home - where we lived after we got married and where we brought Lucy home for the first time. Jason and I are both glad to put 2012 behind us and to look forward to 2013 and getting re-settled back in Minnesota.

Hanging out with cousins Ashley and Preston on Christmas

I know that every parents says it, but we really cannot believe how fast Lucy is changing.  She definitely tells us when she is mad or happy and is getting very vocal.  She loves to be entertained and will almost always reward us with a huge grin or a little giggle if we are funny enough.  She LOVES her feet and changing diapers has gotten to be a bit challenging because she just can't lay still.  She's close to sitting up by herself and is getting an army crawl of sorts down to move herself around.

Watching wrestling with daddy...

We have a brief break from doctor's visits over the holidays.  Eating continues to be our biggest challenge; we have an appointment with the Gastro doctors in a few weeks and hope to get some ideas for how to move forward with more oral eating and less feeding tube eating.

So, from us, to you, Happy New Year!  We wish you and your families much health, happiness and many blessings in 2013!