Joie De Vive

This was the very first picture we took with our little girl - September 27th, the day our lives changed forever.

This is the last picture we ever took that was just the both of us. FYI I'm fully drugged at this point:


Literally a few minutes before I went to deliver Aasiyah baby. <3 What a roller coaster of a ride for us so far. We've learned how little sleep we can really survive on.

This is us New years this year:


All black is a great look for me these days hehee, but my lobster and behbeh look absolutely amazing (as always of course).


Last year 2009 - when it was just us two. Who would have known..... lol

So I've decided to start a tradition of breaking down my past year by doing a list of things that have changed or happened or that I've learned (these are in absolutely no order whatsoever) :

1. I've learned the art doing things with one hand only: cooking, texting, typing, eating - all so I can balance the behbeh in arms at the same time.
2. Our lives are truly quite digital - my entire pregnancy AND delivery was posted and texted about online. Now our daughter has her own blog, web album and youtube channel.
3. I'm much more patient than I ever thought I was capable of being - but still need to learn far more patience.
4. I've learned that some people just have no hope in hell of changing - no matter how much you try to give them a chance - they'll always go back to how they are.
5. It is very very VERY hard losing weight after giving birth to a baby - especially when you have a thyroid issue to top it off with.
6. I have some of the most amazing friends in the world and were it not for their support and love - I'd be far crazier than I already am.
7. Family... oye... all I'm going to say about that is that I'm very very blessed to have the family I do.
8. Jose and I have vowed to never let anyone near aasiyah that would be harmful in her life - family included.
9. I never quite realized how much I would miss my toes once I couldn't see them due to being the size of a whale and how grateful  I am to be able to see them now.
10. drugs ARE my friends - but despite that I actually do have a reasonably high threshold for pain.
11. I made it to a year at my job and honestly thought I would continue working but decided staying home with my little girl was much more worth it.
12. I turned a year older (no longer in my 20s.... ack!) while being pregnant AND kicked butt playing frisbee.
13. I realized that sometimes it is okay to ask for help. Especially when beyond overwhelmed.
14. All the things lobster and I have gone through in the past in our marriage really was prep work for having a baby and dealing with it.
15. I've only begun to fully understand how much I hate depending on someone, anyone... but am learning to cope with it.
16. We finally bought the couch we've been waiting for ... 5 years was long enough!
17. I've always said there was no such thing as love at first sight until I held my daughter for the first time.
18. I finally went to miami and met the inlaws and really understood what makes my husband tick.
19. I matched two of our best friends (last year) and this year was privileged enough to find out that they got engaged!!!! I did good.
20. I realized that all those times in my 20s I said I was chubby - I was talking out of my butt and had no idea what I was talking about. I miss my 20s body.
21. I've gotten a newfound appreciation for my mother and all that she has done and sacrificed for us. She wasn't kidding when she said this was a 24/7 job.
22. I've learned you can't change others... all you can do is hope that they learn from their mistakes and in the meantime just focus on myself.
23. I found that "hormonal" doesn't even begin to cover the range of emotions you go through when you see your child for the first time.
24. Despite being glad I can hold my baby in my arms - I ache to feel her moving around in my belly again... back then she was just mine.
25. I've seen once again how great God really is: He's provided us with a family outside of our blood families - and 2 grandmothers for aasiyah that aren't even related to her.
26. I've learned to try to slowly let go of my OCD with keeping everything clean. No time to constantly be on edge over a house when you have a baby.
27. I've gotten very good at making up singsongs on the spot about silly little things.
28. There is nothing a baby smile can't cure... or at least make better.
29. I have a huge appreciation for my husband - especially for being there with me all through labor and not freaking out.
30. I'm in the process of trying to revel in the small victories instead of aiming for huge ones in crazy timelines. ie. wanting to get back to my prepregnancy body in 3 months.
31. I've started to become an expert on quick meals.. as well as one pot meals.
32. I'm very lucky to have the brother and sister I do..... despite everything we're always still there for each other.
33. I've seen first hand the power of prayer.
34. I've been amazed at the kindness of strangers when I've been pregnant.
35. I've gotten very good at reading people (moreso than before).
36. I've realized that saying "fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me" is true.. and I don't like being made a fool of.
37. I've become even more of a crybaby than I ever was, since having my baby.
38. I can still kick someone's butt verbally if I have to. Especially if someone messes with my child.
39. I've had to let go of my sandals and shoe fetish - money better spent on diapers and formula.
40. Breastfeeding is NOT as easy as they make it seem on tv. It is one of the hardest things I've ever done.
41. In relation to breastfeeding: its all worth it.
42. I've memorized almost every veggie tales song forwards and backwards by this point.
43. I've taken care of my baby for almost 48 hours completely on my own - I have great respect for single parents now!
44. I love that I can wear socks to bed again and not sweat to death (pregnancy + socks in bed = bad)
45. I never realized how awesome sleeping on my back was until I couldn't do it.
46. I cried when I had to put away my daughter's newborn clothing.
47. I'm still a wuss with shots and had to look away when the baby got hers.
48. I finally had shoofly pie with lobster on our anniversary.
49. I'm glad lobster and I got all our roadtrips in this past year when we could - much harder now to pick up and just go.
50. We both realized that there is nothing really holding us back in Philadelphia - we can go wherever we want now.
51. I finally finished the xena series and boy was I disappointed in the ending.
52. I promised my bff I was going to start Lost - its next on my list on netflix.
53. I've realized how little sleep I can function on and not fall apart
54. In relation to sleep: I wish I had slept more back when I was pregnant.
55. I do not miss day sickness (morning sickness is a lie).
56. I finally played starcraft 2. It. was. awesome.
57. We're very lucky to have photographers for friends as well as graphic designers.
58. I think its amazing how moms - even young new moms will immediately offer you support with whatever you need - even if its just an ear. I need to start taking people up on their offers.
59. I've spent all year wishing I could yell at my 16 year old self to be careful with back injuries... I'm paying for it dearly now.
60. Despite everything that happened on Aasiyah's birth, I am grateful..grateful for it all