11 in 11

I shamelessly stole this idea from my friend Suzy's blog....go through your photos from 2011 and choose your 11 favorites. It was damn near impossible. It's not that we have a ton of great photos, in reality the good majority from the year are from my iphone. But there are a ton of memories. A zillion trips to the beach. A billion play dates with friends. Tons of cousin hugs. Museums, adventures, excursions, and family visits. And then there are the boring Tuesday afternoons. Some really awesome, boring Tuesday afternoons.

In no particular order, these are the ones that tug at my heart strings the most:

1. Everyone told us this was a good time to move because the kids wouldn't be too attached to the place they were leaving. Nothing could have been further from the truth. Norah has the very best friend a three-year-old could ever ask for. I fully expect Ruby to spend a week with us every summer when she's in high school.

2. This was after the moving van left, right before we left to spend the night in a hotel our last night in California. It was incredibly bittersweet. It was a house that could not contain us any longer, but it was our first house together. The house our babies came home to. The house we first called a home. It didn't have enough bathrooms, but I loved it just the same.

3. This is so representative of Louis's first few months. An adoring big sister. And a whole lot of barf.

4. This was the very first time that Norah held her baby brother. (Thanks Suzy, for the great photo). She visited on the day he was born but didn't want to hold him. The next day she did. And she hasn't stopped wanting to hold him since.

5. This is my all time favorite photo of Norah and Louis together. They are such great and happy kids. They both have fabulous hair and beautiful blue eyes. I love them more than I thought was possible (hokey, but true).

6. I never thought I would throw my kid a fairy themed party for her birthday. But, I did, and it is quite possibly one of my favorite days of all times. It was pure magic. I love the joy and wonder in her eyes. That day she knew anything was possible.

7. I sure hope they will always be this content in each other's company.

8. Louis is so lucky. He has a forever playmate. A best friend for life. Not just a cousin. More like a brother. A brosin.

9. Norah's birth was scary and stressful. I don't remember the first time I saw her and there are certainly no pictures of it. That has always made me tremendously sad, and I was determined not to let history repeat itself.

10. The kids have awesome big cousins. Megan and Trevor are so great with them and every single morning that Norah wakes us she asks, "do I get to see Megan and Trevor today?" Seriously. Every.single.morning. Norah will never have a sister. I don't even remotely feel bad about that because she has Megan. Even though there is a seven year age difference they are thick as thieves. It's the best of both worlds. Someone you adore who will never steal your clothes.

11. We are so lucky to live around family now. But, we still miss the family we left behind. These are forever friends, for me just as much as for Norah.

I probably have 2011 more that mean just as much, but that will have to do. Bring it, 2012.