Twenty twenty-three will be a year to remember. Our lives changed forever as we prepared and welcomed the most precious baby in the world. Looking back at this year, I can’t help be overwhelmed with so many emotions and gratitude for this miracle.
We entered the year having just found out that I was pregnant and very much in a state of shock. It wasn’t in our plans. It wasn’t something that we thought could even happen. But then, we went to the 8 week appointment, heard the heart beat, saw the little sour patch kid on the ultrasound and the impossible became possible.
Once it was confirmed, we moved forward with caution. I had never been pregnant before. Given my health condition and that I am in my late 30s, we didn’t want to get our hopes up to then be torn down by a miscarriage. So we went through the motions of doctor appointments and taking care of body but didn’t allow ourselves to get too emotionally attached. Just yet.
By February, we had entered the second trimester and began to share the good news with our family and friends. This is when we began to feel happiness and excitement for the little baby growing in my belly. We were overwhelmed with the love that poured in from our family and friends. Baby was SO LOVED and it meant the world to us.
In April, I had scheduled a photoshoot at a local venue for our gender reveal. Knowing that we will not have more kids, I wanted to make every milestone of the pregnancy as special as I could. It was perfect. Intimate. Yet, we could share with our family and friends.
Truth be told, leading up to the reveal, I was so convinced that baby was a girl. EVERYONE thought baby was a girl except for like two people. Then the week of the reveal, I had this feeling in me that baby was a boy. Call it mother’s intuition because it was a boy!
A lot of things happened in May! We picked up my new car. We took a trip to Charleston for our baby moon/my birthday. Then we drove down to Florida for our baby shower that my sweet friends hosted. By the end of the month, I was so happy but exhausted from all the traveling and ready to be home.
In June, we were officially in the third trimester and I was in full nesting mode. I was itching to work on the nursery but was at the mercy of our contractor to add some wall paneling before I could move forward. So I kept myself busy by going on a cleaning/organization frenzy.
By July, I was really feeling the weight of the pregnancy. I took my maternity photos in the first week of July and I am so glad that we did it then and not later. The summer heat was killer. I pretty much hibernated indoors for the remainder of the pregnancy.
August. We welcomed our sweet boy, Sebastian. It’s funny. Since I had a C section, we were in the hospital for three nights and it felt like forever. We were dying to go back home. But now when I look back it felt so quick. I am so HAPPY we got pictures done while there. I cherish that time we were there so much. Our lives were forever changed.
September through December. As the saying goes, the days are long but the weeks are short. Newborn stage is NOT easy. But I did my best to embrace each phase because I did see how things change week by week. I knew he would not be that tiny and needy forever.
Being able to celebrate the holidays and start new traditions with Sebastian have been the best. I know he won’t remember his first holidays, but it is something that I will always remember and took plenty of photos and videos to show him when he is older.
Needless to say, this year was our best year yet. I am so hopeful for this year and really our future with Sebastian. He has brought so much joy into our lives and I can’t wait to create more memories with him.
Wishing you all a very happy new year.