Steve and Jaime: A year in pictures...

I am going to start blogging again, now that I think I might actually have time to catch up! I can't believe that it has been a whole year. I wanted to catch up month by month since Hannah changes so much, but if I do that, I'll never be current. So a quick update over the past year...

I was supposed to be starting nursing school last August. Instead, I decided to stay on at the medical practice that I do billing for. I worked out a great deal with my bosses, got a raise, and only work 30 hours a week now. So I get to be home with Hannah 2 weekdays, and go in to the office the other 3 days. I don't know how I would have ever managed school and a baby, and I am happy with the decision that I made. That decision also allowed Steve to quit his job with Xerox this past April. He didn't like the path he was on. So he went back to work for an old employer, as IT Director, which is what he really has always wanted to do. He is much happier day to day, and really looks forward to this new venture!

We had a wonderful Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas with family. It was neat that it was Hannah' first, but I think I am actually looking forward to THIS holiday season even more, since she is older and will be so excited now! Although Christmas was pretty exciting, since Hannah walked for the first time ON Christmas Day! Also, in December, I took Steve on a surprise trip to SB for a short overnight. We left Hannah for the first time. She did great, we did great, and it was so nice to know that she was home with family safe and sound. Gave us a glimpse of what our old life was like!

Our little fairy in her costume

First trip to Underwood Farm and a pumpkin patch - standing almost by herself at 7 months!

So excited for Thanksgiving!

Our little family

First trip to see Santa

Our Christmas card photo :)

Practicing walking on Christmas Eve

First Christmas morning, surrounded by gifts

Her very own chair!

Opening gifts with her cousin Cooper on Christmas day

In January we celebrated my birthday. I also started a "preschool" with Hannah one day a week. I go with her on Thursdays, for 3 hours. She loves it. Lots of playing and exploring and singing and dancing and learning. It's a great program. I also took a sewing class and learned the basics, which was something that I have always wanted to do. My friend Kristen goes to the preschool and took the sewing class with me. She has a son who is one month older than Hannah, and we have become great friends. Hannah loves hanging with them!

First day of school

Petting a chinchilla at a school animal show

Playing in her house at school

February was pretty mellow. We had Rylan's (Kristen's son) first birthday party. I had minor surgery on my hand to remove a cyst. That was an interesting week, trying to take care of Hannah with a huge splint on my hand. But Steve stepped it up and made it very manageable! I think this is the month we found out that Sarah and Kevin were expecting another baby!

Snow day at school

What is this stuff?!

In March we had Hannah's first birthday party. We did an owl theme, and everything turned out soooo cute. I was very pleased with everything. And so many friends and family came out! Later that month Hannah had her first plane ride, to go see Vanessa and her family in NorCal. I was terrified but survived. We got to meet Vanessa's baby, Caleb, who is only a few months young than Hannah. All the kids had a blast together, and Vanessa and I even got out for a nice dinner alone. Also, in March, Sarah and Joel welcomed baby Zane! And Steve took a trip to Vegas with his friend Clint for a boys get away.

Birthday girl

Playing with Caleb

First bath with a boy! Haha

Jumping on the bed is fun!

In April Steve jetted off to Vegas again with the guys. Later in the month we went to Chicago for the first time. We went with Sarah and Kevin and their daughter Kami. We packed a ton of stuff into 4 days, and even though we hit some bad weather, we managed to have a great time. We stayed in a home there that had an indoor jacuzzi, so every night we put the girls to bed and stayed up drinking and sitting in the jacuzzi, which was a great plus! We went to the aquarium, planetarium, a White Sox game, Natural History Museum, ate great food and walked all over the city. I really liked it there and would love to visit again!

Easter

Visiting Tricia and baby Beck in SB. Hannah loves babies!

Rylan at the strawberry patch (Hannah's boyfriend)

So much fun to pick and eat strawberries!

On the subway, this is how Hannah travelled around most of Chicago

First baseball game! White sox

Ready for a (cold!) day of sightseeing

The Bean!

In May we went to Orange County with my parents and brother and stayed in a beach house that belongs to a friend of my dad's. It was so much fun to relax and hang out. Hannah had the run of the house and enjoyed herself.

Hanging with daddy on the beach

In June, preschool ended for the summer. Sad. But we managed to see a lot of the moms and kids all throughout the summer. We also went away for a whole weekend, to Palm Springs to see Lindsey, one of my oldest friends, get married. We had a wonderful time. I was finally free of nursing (having stopped in March) and didn't have to worry about pumping and limiting drinking and all. Steve and I had a great time and Lindsey and Matt's wedding was beautiful! That month we also celebrated Melanie's baby shower, cousin Evan's first birthday, and Father's Day. And Hannah went to her first Dodgers game. Oh, and our 4th wedding anniversary. We snuck out for a nice dinner at our fave spot, but didn't do anything extravagant.

The bride and groom

Evan and Hannah

Happy Anniversary to us

First Dodgers game

In July we went to the Aguirre's for the fourth, like we always do. It's always a great time. I went to a Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney concert, which was so much fun. I wish I could do that more! This month I did a lot of playdates with Hannah and our other friends. Splash pad, Underwood farms, the beach, the farmer's market, and playdates at each other's houses. It was nice to have some days off during the summer for things like this! At the end of July, about 30 Anschultz family members and friends went on a cruise to Alaska. Steve and I skipped it, since we knew we'd miss a lot of hit bringing Hannah along. But they all had a great time!

First popsicle

At the beach with Rylan

At the beach with Kami and Beth

Underwood farm with Rylan

Splashpad

They both wanted in...

August was filled with parties on the weekends, and a couple of trips. Also, my cousin Keith got married, so a bunch of us cousins had a really great time celebrating with him. The next weekend, Hannah and I flew to Sacramento to hang out with the Gatewood's again. We stayed with Vanessa's parents, and all the kids got to hang out and play together all weekend. It was awesome to see everyone. Two weeks later, Steve and I went to Vegas alone for 3 full days. We stayed at the Red Rock, which we had wanted to do for a year since finding out about it. The hotel is so nice, the pool is fantastic, and the table limits are lower, so gambling is "easier." It was a MUCH needed getaway. Hannah did great at home with my parents, as usual. I hope we can get away like this more often now that she is older!

Keith's wedding

Bathing with Caleb again

Hannah LOVES Emma

College friends, 10 years later with babies - Kelly, me and Vanessa

In September we went to SD to see the Burgwalds for Labor day. We hadn't spent a weekend with them since the previous year. So it was wonderful to catch up and watch the kids hang out and play together. Then the next weekend, we went back to the OC beach house with my parents and Mark. Then the next weekend Vanessa was in SB for a conference, so she made it down for a night to have dinner and catch up a bit. The rest of the month was filled with fun weekend activities as well. Hannah went on her first boat cruise with the Reznicks. Also, school started up for Hannah again, which she just adores.