Our 2021 Year in Review

It's the last day of 2021 and is usual we'll do a little end of year review. Since we didn't get around to Christmas cards this year this will have to substitute this year.

It's been a year of growth for our family. The first part of the year we were in our new home in Kuwait learning about the culture and people and making a home for ourselves. By May we had travelled back to the States for R&R but surprise! We were pregnant with baby #3! Scott and Kiersten celebrated 10 years of marriage and did a little anniversary trip to Warm Springs, VA and The New River Gorge in West Virginia. Scott had to travel back to Kuwait in early June and the girls spent the rest of the summer swimming, playing, traveling and visiting friends and family. 

In early August, Kiersten was 20 weeks along and we were able to learn more about this pregnancy and any issues we might be facing. We learned all was well, it's a normal pregnancy! Even though that was the answer we wanted, we still had a big decision to make; should the girls stay in the States for the duration of the pregnancy or travel back to Kuwait for a few months? We decided it was best to stay put and enrolled Mackenzie in Kindergarten which meant we would be separated from Scott for another 4-5 months. He was able to visit us two more times but the distance and different time zones were a challenge we don't wish to repeat.

Mackenzie has loved being in school. She's made so many new friends and has accelerated her reading, writing and math skills. She played on a soccer team with Mommy as the assistant coach and began taking piano lessons with Grandma Hammond.

Finley started the summer as a toddler and ended the year as a little kid! She only said a few words at the beginning and is now sharing complex stories and ideas. She's also grown about 6 inches and is fast on the heels of her big sister in all things play. She has really enjoyed the one-on-one time she got with Mommy once Mackenzie went to school and loves to run errands to the "teeny cart store" (Lidl) and "the circle store" (Target).

On December 22 we welcomed our third child, a baby boy named Bennett. So far he's a great little guy. He sleeps and eats well and his sisters adore him.

Thank you to everyone for their prayers, love and support during this crazy year of ours. In return we wish you all the very best and a Happy New 2022!

December: The Month Everything Came Together

 Hello and welcome to December!! The month we've all been waiting for. Well at least the month this little family has been waiting for. Here's a run down of what we did:

• Mackenzie was invited to another birthday party for a classmate.

  

  Pokeman themed, she was one of a few girls.

  
  
• We decorated Christmas cookies. Finley got a little carried away and did a swipe of frosting on every cookie and licked a bunch for good measure. Even though those cookies were "for" someone, we decided it was best not to eat them!
  
  
  
• We went to DC to celebrate a cousin's birthday and walk the Mall to receive stamps in her National Parks Passport. Mommy, being 37 weeks pregnant at the time was struggling with the distance. After going up to the top of the Washington Monument, we walked to the Lincoln which is about a mile away. It was decided an electric scooter was needed so she didn't go into early labor. 

  

  It was a very cold day. We even saw snow flurries!

  
  
• We helped decorate Grandma's Christmas tree!
  
  
  
  
  
  
• We welcomed Daddy home on the 14th. This time not to be separated!

  

  That night Daddy and Mackenzie made
  Peanut Butter Fudge for her teachers.

  
  
• Finley discovered a new way of talking to baby brother. See photo:
  
  
  
  
• Mackenzie played in her first ever piano recital. She played a Jingle Bells Duet with Mommy and did a great job! She started in August from the very beginning and can now read the notes on the staff. What a huge accomplishment!
  
  
  
• Mackenzie wrapped up her first "semester" of school on December 17. She had a great last day of school. They wore pajamas and did fun activities relating to The Polar Express like eat hot chocolate, snack bar, help the elves and read the book and watch the movie.
  
  
  
• The girls (and Daddy) had a blast at Sky Zone or "the jump place" as we call it before the big day. Mommy sat on the sidelines and held coats and water.
  
  
  
• Mackenzie is now fully vaccinated! So proud of our girl for being brave during her second shot.
  
  
  
• Scott and Kiersten had one last date before baby. They went to The Alamo Drafthouse for dinner and a movie of Spiderman: No Way Home. Very fun evening.

  

  Didn't get a picture at the theater but yes of the donut run a few days earlier!

  
  
• The girls spent several days with Grandma and Grandpa Jackson while Mommy stayed in the hospital. They went to the library, read books, went to the park, made gingerbread houses and so much more!

  

  Mackenzie set up a tea party for her friends.

  
  

  

  Mixing away!

  
  

  

  Finley's Paw Patrol Palace

  
  

  

  Mackenzie's castle

  
  

  

  Scott saving the living room from baby spiders!

  
  
• We had a baby!

See? A jam-packed month.

On December 21, Scott and Kiersten dropped off the girls in Ashburn to spend a few days with Scott's parents while Kiersten had the baby and recovered in the hospital. On the morning of December 22, we drove the quick 5 minutes from our hotel to INOVA Fairfax to begin the pre surgery process. Check in, change into a gown and receive fluids via IV (ouch). Then answer lots of questions, see different nurses, an anesthesiologist and then wait. 8 o'clock rolled around and they hadn't come for Kiersten yet although that was the scheduled time for the C-section. We overheard the nurses saying how crowded it was. Guess no one wanted a Christmas baby!

By 8:30 they finally came to get Kiersten and took her back to... an empty OR. Everyone was like, "Where is everyone?!" Nurses, OB and the anesthesiologist eventually came in and prep continued. Kiersten got the spinal block and the numbing began. They laid her down on the table and then the anxiety of having a baby this way began to set in. She desperately wanted Scott, and to move her legs! Scott eventually joined her, covered from head to foot in protective gear (per usual for a C-section) and then in a few short minutes, they heard the joyous cries of their newborn son. Kiersten immediately let the tears flow unbidden and relief washed over her. She got to see him for a few minutes and then after some more weighing and a swaddle, Scott was holding him for a long time. In this our third C-section experience this was the longest time Scott has remained in the OR with Kiersten and hold the baby. 

Around 9:20 Scott went with some nurses and baby boy to the OR recovery room while the surgery team finished closing up. Kiersten was wheeled in 15 minutes later and rejoined the boys. Baby had been crying most of this time because the poor lamb was so cold! They finally wrapped him up in about 20 blankets and had him under a warming lamp and he was content. Once Kiersten stopped shivering and shaking (all normal side effects of the anesthesia) she held her son for the first time and all was right with the world.

Yup, masked up the whole time.
It's a crazy COVID world.

Two hours later the new little family was moved up to a room where we would remain until Christmas Eve morning. Due to a rise in COVID cases, the hospital visiting policy changed so that no visitors, other than the labor support person, Scott, was allowed to visit. So it was a quiet, somewhat relaxing, vacation like recovery and bonding time for Mom, Dad and baby.

We were discharged on Christmas Eve and drove to Ashburn for the girls to meet their new baby brother. Both were smitten at first sight. Grandma Jackson spent a while holding her newest Grandson and we all had an enjoyable time being united as family.

We made the crammed car ride back to Manassas that afternoon and spent Christmas day and the rest of that week with Kiersten's family. 

It's been a busy, busy month and even busier Christmas week but we've made it out the other side and are taking things one day at a time learning and growing as a new family of five.

One More Month!!

November. What a blur! But it has probably been the best (and hardest) month of 2021. Here's why:

• It was Kiersten's birthday! And unbeknownst to her, Scott planned a trip to Virginia just to surprise her. It was the most perfect gift she wanted but knew she wouldn't get.
• Thus Kiersten and Scott got to go on a real, actual date on the night of her birthday. No kids, other than the one in utero, and a fun evening make for the best birthday gift.
• The Sunday before the birthday we had a Pie Night birthday celebration. We kept it small. Just family and two dear friends from college. There were 5 pies in all and lots of fun.
  
  
  
• Mackenzie finished her very first soccer season. She learned a lot, made new friends and she and Kiersten still have a good relationship despite Kiersten being the assistant coach and not always being a "nice" mom.

  

  Scott got to see her first AND last games of the season and really saw her growth.

  
  
• Scott and Kiersten got their Booster vaccines this month. Just in time for more family gatherings and travel. Mackenzie was also brave and got her first vaccine. She really doesn't like shots but thankfully Daddy was there to help hold and comfort her.
  
  
  
• Finley got her 3 year checkup. Unlike last year she's doing great! Plus the pediatrician this time around was so much better. Same office, different doctor. Makes a big difference. She got a flu shot and had no idea what had happened. No tears or screaming. Just sat there and looked a little confused then it was all over.
• Finley and Mackenzie had a sleep over with Grandma and Grandpa Jackson one weekend. They had a great time coloring, reading books, going to the library, watching a movie and playing non-stop. Kiersten got 9 hours of almost uninterrupted sleep that night! It was amazing! They were a bit wild when they came home but everything settled in a day or so. 

  

  Look at that tired mamma!
  Enjoying her Peppermint Hot Cocoa and a Target run.

  
  
• Thanksgiving! Lots of prep work ahead of time but it all paid off. Kiersten's Mom hosted 20 people (including Kiersten and the girls) for the dinner and housed 15 of them. It was crowded but fun to see family after so long and the girls had a blast playing with so many other kids, but mostly Ashlyn.

  

  Kiersten made all the pies again. And a pumpkin cheesecake.

  
  
• The Saturday after Thanksgiving we drove to Grandma and Pop-pop's barn for a BBQ and bonfire. Finley got to see the first upside-down when Uncle Brad held her upside-down and she thought that was great. "Fire upside-down?!"
  
  
  
  
  

  

  It's a long drive. But we were all separately entertained.

  
  
• Scott was lucky with 2 Thanksgiving dinners. One on Thursday and the other on Friday. He got to go to the Ambassador's residence and then had a smaller work gathering. He said he enjoyed both.
• The baby gets hiccups EVERY DAY! It's crazy. And he's sooooo active. One day he moved almost non-stop for 6 hours in the evening and into the night. Glad he feels healthy though. Doctors say things are still normal.

More about Scott's surprise visit because it was pretty epic. The day he arrived, Mackenzie had the day off school and Kiersten had the brilliant idea of sending the girls to Ashburn to hang out with Grandma and Grandpa Jackson for the day. Kiersten was very much in need of a break. She spent the day shopping and eating with her Mom and got home with enough time to relax a little before the girls got home for Mackenzie's last soccer practice of the season. Kiersten wasn't sure when they would arrive exactly, just sometime before practice at 5:30. Well she was in her Mom's room which is over the garage and driveway when at 4:45 she heard a car door close. Wanting to make sure it wasn't the neighbors and not waste a trip going down the stairs (8 months pregnant is no joke) she looked through the window in the bathroom and saw a familiar head. An "Oh my gosh!" escaped her lips in a gasp and she bolted for the stairs, fairly flying down them and sprinted to the garage where she burst from the door and leapt into the waiting form of Scott. And then proceeded to sob all over the tired and weary traveler. Like I said, epic.

He was here for a wonderful week and then returned back to Kuwait for the last 5 weeks of this long and tiresome separation. To keep himself busy this time he's working on a surprise for the girls and getting the kid's bedrooms ready for big changes. As well as gathering the remaining items we need for baby's arrival like blankets, burp clothes, bouncy seat and nursing clothes for mamma.

The Mackenzie Update:

• She has been reading up a storm! A year ago we didn't think she'd ever get it or like reading but now she wants to try to read things all the time. We love seeing this change in her and her love of reading.
  
  
  
• She is going through drawing supplies like water. Mostly paper. She can't get enough. Too much creativity sitting in her brain she can't put it down on paper fast enough.

  

  She's always writing little notes. So far this one is my favorite.

  
  
• After a great parent-teacher conference Kiersten took Mackenzie out to lunch to celebrate her. She is such a good, smart, helpful, happy girl. How did we get so lucky?

  

  Enjoying her newly discovered favorite sandwich: BLT!

  
  
• The end of soccer season was happy-sad. She did improve through the season but developed a hesitancy that wasn't there at the beginning of the season. Maybe she'd been hit or pushed at one point and it left a mark in that she didn't want to go to the ball when there was a group of kids. It frustrated Kiersten to no end but she had to remind herself she was no Mia Hamm when she was 5 either.
• She is really stepping up her big sister skills. When we went to get her vaccine we told her she was being a super hero to protect Baby Brother. Since then she's wanted to help out more. She makes her own toast in the morning, cleans up her space and tries to help Finley with getting dressed or cleaning up. Sadly Finely doesn't always let her help but her heart is in the right place.

  

  Caught this sweet moment of the girls "making stew" outside.

  
  

The Finley Report:

• Getting so clingy. Hoping this phase wears off once Scott comes back so Kiersten can take care of the baby in a month.
  
  
  
• Potty training continues.... We bought some heavy duty training pants, like thick underwear, to encourage big girl underwear and what that means. She still doesn't quite understand that you go to the toilet BEFORE you pee but she knows when she's doing it. Honestly it's like 50-50 when she does it but it's getting real tiring. So much laundry.
• She is very loving and sweet to Mommy's bump. She seems to understand that Baby Brother is inside and will be coming out soon to meet us all. Not sure she understands that he's a permanent fixture to the family but that will come in time.
• We've been lovingly referring to her as the Bunny in the Middle ever since reading the same such book at Grandma Jackson's.

  

  The cutest s'mores pic ever. And she only nibbled at the marshmallow.

  
  
• Waking up 1-2 times a night! Sometimes for no reason other than to come in to Kiersten's room and wake her up it seems. Guess I should be thankful. She's prepping me for interrupted sleep in a month.

The end is in sight! Two weeks until Scott comes back for good. Three more weeks until we meet baby. One more month until Christmas. One more month until a whole new year! Pray for us. We can do hard things.