Top 12 of 2012

Let's be real for a minute. I was a crap blogger last year.

 I should feel really guilty, but I don't.

See, I was hanging over the toilet for the first half and spent the last half adjusting to life with 3 littles and coping with a new diagnosis.

So instead of attempting the impossible task of catching up, I am going to do a little condensed version of the big stuff.  Let's call it the Top 12 of 2012.  Lots of pictures (mostly un-edited), few words...just the way I like it.

#12. Kerrigan entered Primary, and took her position as the youngest member of Primary very seriously.  As in she spent the first few weeks, possibly months, either twirling around in the front or laying under her chair. It was awesome.  Tucker also started nursery....such a beautiful moment in every lds parent's life.

#11 We learned the baby cooking in my belly was a girl, which Kerrigan had known since we told her I was pregnant @ 8 or 9 weeks.  

#10 Easter.  They just looking freaking adorable.  I don't remember much else...

 #9 We drove down to AZ for my baby sister's wedding.  Mainly because I totally dig the Idaho-Arizona drive when I am great with child.  Totes hard core, I know.  I didn't take a whole lot of pictures for some reason, but check out my mom's sweet moves on the dance-floor!

Not to be outdone by my mother, this also happened:

And this is the only picture I have at the actual wedding, I was really bringing classy back that day.

We also were able to spend some time in Tucson before the wedding with Jared's parents.

#8 Fourth of July, and squeezing in as much summer fun as possible as a family of 4.  The kids took swim lessons from a girl in the ward and gained some much needed confidence in the water.  I hope she teaches again this next summer!

#7 My belly got bigger and bigger, until...

#6 WE HAD A BABY!!!!  But I already did a long post on that, so we will just skip to the blessing.  Which we did when she was exactly 7 days old.  Since my parents were planning on leaving the Sunday after my induction date, we decided to have it that day.  Our amazing families (both immediate and extended) came to support us, which meant so much to us!  And, unlike my first go around with Kerrigan, I actually realized I was in charge of feeding everyone who came...so we didn't have to do the post blessing meal at a greasy diner.  So 2 points for me- I am slooooooowly getting this whole responsible adult thing down.

Chloe Lorraine, teeny tiny and drowning in the dress her grandma bought for her, looked absolutely darling and her dad gave her an amazing blessing.  She is one lucky little girl!

Some other pictures from the weekend of family fun:

 #5 Tucker's 2nd birthday.  I just love him.  He is such a happy go lucky, easy to please kid.  He is also a 2 year old, so that's always fun...but with those big blue eyes, the little charmer knows how to win over even the grumpiest person he meets.  Again, I just love him!

#4 Chloe grew.  And grew and grew and grew.  By the end of 2012 she was a whopping 18lb 6 month old. And we love every pudgy ounce of our chunky baby.  

We took it pretty easy for a few months, adjusting to life with 3 kids.  Some things I would like to point out: 

1. First collage, bottom right picture, brother reading to baby...heart melted. 2. Second collage, top left.  Tucker woke up early one Saturday.  Jared wanted to let me sleep in with the girls but also needed to do some yard work.  Solution: he put Tuck in the hiking backpack and they did man work together.  The boy loved every second.  Again, heart melted.

 #3. Thanksgiving was spent in Arizona.  Because we are crazy, we drove again.  Turns out, traveling 7 or 8 months pregnant...way easier than traveling with a 3 1/2 month old who hates her car seat.  Needless to say, the kids and I flew home- sorry Jared, our resident lone traveler.

I don't have any pictures of actual Thanksgiving, but Kerrigan dressed up like an Indian for her Preschool Thanksgiving Feast, so that totally counts, right?

Oh, and we also got to meet Miss Leah Moffitt.  Sweetest, and holy cow STRONGEST, 3 day old EVER! Instant love!

 2. Brookie threw Kerrigan's birthday party at her house.  There was a pinata.  There were tents.  There were presents.  She was in heaven and still talks about it.  Well done, Brookie...well done.

I can't believe I have a 4 year old, as cliche as that sounds.  She is still trying to shake off the tyrannical 3's, but she is also starting to get so unbelievably grown up.  She is my best helper girl, and a silly, giggly, hilarious little lady.

1. We had Christmas in Idaho Falls.  Sledding, Broncos game, Santa, Nativity scene (yes, feel free to be terrified of the donkey mask...but notice that none of the kids are.  That's because it makes an appearance at almost all Stokes family events. Because we are amazing), family, presents, hot tubbing, Christmas jammies and Big Judd's.  Please note Chloe eyeing the Big Judd's burger that is as big as her entire body.  Sorry, sister, your dinner is a little more to your left...

Oh, and I made homemade rolls.  Totally nailed them.  They were amazing.  Haven't been able to recreate them since.  It appears I am missing the key ingredient...Grams's coaching.  

And that, my friends, concludes the Stokes Family's Top 12 of 2012.  I hope I will do a better job in 2013, because that took way more time than I should be spending on the computer.  I guess I had better go clean up the disaster of a mess my kids made during their unchaperoned afternoon.