2017 A Year In Review

What a wonderful and interesting year 2017 has been. The themes for 2017 in a nutshell: transitions, changes, and settling into the new normal. Through the good and the bad, we are so blessed to have our family and friends with us.

1. January - Maksim's 5th Birthday at the Trampoline Park. His birthday party was scheduled for December 2016 but got rescheduled multiple times due to the weather, blizzard followed by negative temperatures plummeting to the -30's with the windchill. Other exciting events in January: game night at the Aquino's, Field Trip to the Indian Museum/Bird Sanctuary, first sonogram of Vala at 13 weeks, and the New Year's party at my parent's house. 
2. February - Andrey and I rented a cabin in Wisconsin Dells. Marvelous time. February Events: we accepted an offer to our house that officially went on Sale Pending, started packing, Maksim had a Patriots themed Valentine's celebration, the Patriots won the Superbowl in the most amazing comeback in history, 
3. March - We got a new roof per agreement upon selling the house, we moved in an apartment, we put an offer on a gorgeous house but got outbid, we put a down payment on a lot to build our home.
4. April - We officially announced that I was pregnant. April events: officially sold our first house, annual trip to the zoo, family picnic, Easter egg decorating/hunt, Adventurer Club induction day, 
5. May - Loving my pregnant body. May events: Maksim's end of school play, program at school, Andrey's birthday, The Lightkeeper's visit, Mother's Day lunch at the Montessori with Maksim, Vala's first 3D sonogram.
6. June - Our home almost ready to move in. June events: Maksim enrolls in Judo, VBS, lots of heavy rain and jumping on puddles, Maksim plays the piano at church, last day of school party at the Montessori and Maksim getting pink eye,  
7. July - We moved in our house and a week and a half later Valeska was born. July events: 4th of July fireworks at the field, took Vala home from the hospital, Gumma stays at our house to help with baby, Vala's first bath.
8. August - Maksim's first day of school at a new school. August events: Vala got hospitalized for her strawberry hemangioma under her right eye, Maksim loves his baby sister, getting used to the new normal with a new baby.
9. September - Maksim's picture day at school. Dressed him up with a cute bow tie. September events: Vala's hemangioma is clearing up, I went back to work, met a lot of neighbors at the block party, parent's put their house in the market and likewise started packing.
10. October - Vala's first Halloween dressed as a bumblebee. So cute. Maksim dressed as a ninja. October events: my birthday, Vala goes to church for the first time and had a baby dedication, first dinner party at our house, our beta fish (Marshall) got a bigger tank, Maksim started sparring at Judo and he kicks well.
11. November - Our first family photo is a selfie. Crazy. November events: hosted thanksgiving for the first time, Vala loves to kick, Maksim got strep throat, it snowed for the first time but didn't accumulate, Donuts with Dad at school but I was dad because Andrey got the strep, I got sick, Izzy's newly built house nearly ready to move in.
12. December - Annual family photos at Izzy's new house. Izzy and my parents moved in the new house. December events: Maksim got his red belt in martial arts, shopped for group health insurance due to open enrollment, I went to Des Moines for work, Vala learned to turn over, baked Christmas cookies, Christmas with the family, Maksim's birthday, Maksim's official birthday party, an abundance of snow, and it's ridiculously cold.