A Year in Pictures - 2010

It is really hard to believe that 2010 is coming to a close. While I often ask myself where did this year go, I then take a look back through the blog or through pictures and realize we've done a lot of great things and have made a ton of wonderful memories. This year I started out as the mother of a super adorable 16-month-old and I am ending the year as the mother to a super independent (and still quite adorable) 28-month-old. Let's check have a quick recap of all the awesome adventures, firsts and memories made over the past 12 months.

January was great - Riley rang in 2010 as she peacefully slept in her crib. She started going to My Gym and was growing and thriving just fine!!

In February Riley was able to experience a big snow storm and play in the snow for the first time. She turned 1 1/2 this month and we celebrated with cupcakes. Riley learned how to say her whole name, was saying the entire alphabet without help and was learning how to count past 10.
In March Riley moved rooms at daycare and was placed in the Toddler room. It was this month that Riley began her potty training and did pretty ok with it.

In April Riley enjoyed the spring air, a Girl's Weekend and Easter. What a fun month!

In May Riley experience snow on Mother's Day but by the end of the month she was hanging by the pool - gotta love springtime in Syracuse.

In June the Clarks went on their very first family vacation. We headed to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. We had a week of fun, fun, fun!!

July was the month of changes! We came home from vacation and converted Riley's crib to a big girl bed and her room went from a baby room to a big girl room. Riley also converted from baby sippy cups to big girl cups. This is the month where I began to feel sad that my baby was no longer a baby and I had to come to accept that she was offically a big girl now!

We said Happy 2nd Birthday to Riley Paige this month. She loved her Dora the Explorer themed birthday party complete with a bounce house.

The month of September was a doozy for us. Riley had surgery in the beginning of the month which put us out of commission on the potty training front for a little while. Once she healed from her surgery, we spent the rest of the month participating in fall activities like pumpkin and apple picking. This is also the month we finally gave up the pacifiers for good!!

October was a month of a few firsts. Riley got her 1st haircut and went to the circus for the first time (and loved it). Riley was a pirate for Halloween (her choice) and if you ask me - she was the cutest pirate I've ever seen!!!

November was an interesting month. November was when we truly realized that we were the parents to a 2-year-old. We found ourselves in the throes of the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad twos!!!! There are moments when it seems as though it's getting better and then there are moments when I think "is this ever going to end???" We are looking forward to the light at the end of the tunnel.

December has been great! We enjoyed decorating the house, getting to know our Elf on the Shelf, visiting with Santa and enjoying Christmas. We are looking forward to celebrating New Year's with Grandpa, Juh-Juh, Aunt Laurie, Uncle Schneckie, Aunt Jenny and Keira.

We're all excited for the New Year and new changes! The Clarks have some pretty big plans for the upcoming year and we're hoping that all of our hard work pays off.

We hope everyone has a fabulous New Year!!!