Another Year Over; A New One Just Begun

Well, we have officially entered the year 2012 (okay, so nine days ago we officially entered the year 2012). Insane, right? I wanted to do this post on New Year's Eve night while I stayed up waiting for the clock to strike midnight, but... I ended up going to bed around 10:30 instead. That's right... I rang in the new year from behind my eyelids in the comfort of my bed. I guess that's what happens when you're a mommy to an always-on-the-go 18-month-old and 39 weeks pregnant with Baby Number Two. You get tired, and suddenly, staying up to watch a ball drop on TV doesn't sound so appealing or important anymore.
Anyway, last year on New Year's Eve, I did a post recapping some of the "highs" and "lows" of my 2010, so I figured I'd do the same for 2011. It is SO hard to believe 2011 has already come and gone. I can honestly say it has FLOWN by faster than any year of my life thus far. WAY faster. It seriously feels like it was just a couple of months ago that I was sitting in this very same spot on our couch typing up that New Year's Eve 2010 post I just mentioned. I can't believe a whole year has passed by since then. 2011 was, overall, another great year for our family, filled with many blessings to overshadow the "bumps" in the road.
Without further ado, here's a quick recap of some of the events of the past year for me/us:

In January 2011:
- we celebrated Jordan's 26th birthday (posted about here)
- we became sponsor parents through Compassion International to a precious little boy in Haiti named Findley (posted about here)
- Rylee drank from a sippy cup for the first time

- Rylee learned how to clap

In February 2011:
- we celebrated my 21st birthday (my sweet hubby threw me a little surprise birthday party with some of our family and friends, posted about here)

In March 2011:
- Rylee crawled for the first time (posted about here)
- Rylee came down with her very first illness (posted about here)

In April 2011:
- Rylee got her first hair cut (posted about here)
- Rylee got her first tooth (posted about here)
- we celebrated Rylee's first Easter (posted about here)

In May 2011:
- we adopted our cat, Haiti (posted about here)
- I celebrated my first "official" Mother's Day (posted about here)
- we found out we were expecting Baby #2 (posted about here)

In June 2011:
- Jordan and I celebrated our two-year wedding anniversary and went on a long weekend vacation to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee (posted about here)
- we celebrated Rylee's first birthday (posted about here and here)
- we celebrated Jordan's second Father's Day (posted about here)
- Rylee started walking (posted about here)
- one of my high school best friends, April, got married (posted about here)

In July 2011:
- Rylee got to swing for the first time (posted about here)
- Rylee went swimming for the first time (posted about here)
- we brushed Rylee's teeth for the first time

In August 2011:
- we bought Rylee her first pair of tennis shoes (posted about here)
- Jordan and I got to feel the first "for sure" kicks from the baby (posted about here)
- we found out we were going to have a boy (posted about here)

In September 2011:
- apparently not much happened, because I can't think of any highlights to mention!

In October 2011:
- we had to take Rylee to the doctor for her first "sick visit" (posted about here)
- we went to Florida to visit my daddy (posted about here)
- we took Rylee to her first Halloween festivities (posted about here)

In November 2011:
- we got 4-D ultrasound pictures taken of Baby Ryan (posted about here)
- I got to see Chonda Pierce and Warren Barfield in concert with my mom (posted about here)

In December 2011:
- my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer (posted about here)
- my high school best friend got married (posted about here)
- my church Sunday school class hosted a baby shower for Ryan and me (posted about here)