Year In Review: 2023.

Let’s get to it!

We kicked off January with cold weather and a bit of snow plus a party for our new 5 year old! The kids were playing basketball, and the girls were taking dance. Javi lost his first tooth — at school and was pumped about that. He also participated in a derby with Cub Scouts. I continued work as a maternity leave substitute (started around Thanksgiving the previous year) in a 3-6 year old classroom. Eva spent her days bouncing around between caregivers while I was at work and loved baking activities and crafts. Lola was in an afternoon pre-k classroom and spent her mornings with Sean, who continued to work from home! I found out we miscarried and had to have a D&C and that sent me on a downward spiral that I sort of continued to fall down into… for all of 2023. I started reading a lot and was consuming a book every few days.

In February, we tried to get outside thinking that would help my mood — it didn’t so I started taking Zoloft. Since I was working, whenever I was home I tried to make up for it by playing a lot of games and doing all the things (science activities, baking, crafts.) We started Valentine’s Day mailboxes where Sean and I left each kid a note about all the things we love about them each day, and ended with their Valentine’s Day Love Baskets on 2/14. Sean took Lola to a Father/Daughter Dance and took me out for lots of date nights. We started taking the kids to the free workshops hosted by Home Depot and Lowes. Lola started Music Therapy and both girls continued with Speech. Javi had to do a 100 Days of school project and since I was working… I had to miss his presentation; I was crushed and realized… I can’t work full-time.

In March, I went away for my annual Scrapbook Weekend. Sean took the kids to Maine to visit his parents. We celebrated Sean’s birthday and the two of us went to a concert and dinner. I took Eva to get her nails done at a real salon. I finished my teaching contract and was finally back home each day. Javi and Sean went on an overnight with Cub Scouts. Lacrosse started. It started to get a little warmer. My doctor finally listened to me about still not feeling well and still being in pain 24/7 and an ultrasound revealed that not only did I need an additional D&C but also a hysteroscopy. It was decided Zoloft wasn’t cutting it, so I got on some waiting lists for therapists. The wait lists were 3 months long!

In April I took the girls to a tulip farm. Baseball started for Lola. Javi did a town clean-up for Earth Day. We celebrated Easter and Eva thought the Easter Bunny didn’t love her because he only left her money in her eggs — not candy! Lola got a cavity filled and didn’t even mind it… what?! She also got invited to her first school friend’s birthday party. We spent a lot of time outside and went mini-golfing. Eva spent the beginning of the month so sick with high fevers and I got sick at the end of the month with pink eye and a double ear infection. It was icing on the cake of an already terrible health year, for sure!

In May we went to the zoo. We started our garden (it wasn’t so successful this year!) We went out for ice cream… a lot. Javi learned to ride a two-wheeler! Lola and I went to see Taylor Swift in concert and got rained on… hard! We went on a few hikes with Javi, celebrated Mother’s Day, and went to see Javi’s first grade presentation on dinosaurs! The girls and I joined a weekly playgroup.

In June Javi finished up his lacrosse season with an all-day tournament which ended up getting rained out. He wasn’t upset about that and the jury is still out on whether he’ll play again next year! The girls performed in their dance recital and were amazing! We celebrated Father’s Day, and went strawberry picking. The kids finished school (Lola, pre-k and Javi, first) and we took the kids to the drive-in to see The Little Mermaid. I started seeing a therapist to help my mental health.

We started July with a concert! We took Javi and Lola to see Ed Sheeran. We drove to Montana, stayed for 5 days and then drove home. We spent a week in Puerto Rico. We spent time going to splash pads, and playgrounds and the movies. I took a positive pregnancy test and that both excited me and shattered me.

We started August with a weekend away just me and Sean. It was a little “due date escape” since our due date from our missed miscarriage was August 4th and that felt really heavy. Lola started Cheer and Javi spent two weeks at an outdoor day camp. We spent a week in Nova Scotia. The kids started school: Javi in second grade, Lola in kindergarten and Eva in preschool.

In September Javi lost his second tooth! I turned 37 and Javi turned 8. I spent a night away with my parents to go to a wedding. We went to an art festival and the kids got their faces painted. Lola was busy with Cheer and Javi was busy with Cub Scouts. Eva got hand, foot and mouth! Lola started field hockey and Javi started ninja.

October… brought Eva pneumonia! Sean and Javi went on a day trip with Cub Scouts (it was supposed to be a weekend but ended up just being a day thing.) I took the girls to see the Eras concert in the movie theater. We went to some birthday parties. We hosted a halloween party for friends. The kids did all things spooky and dressed up for Halloween. We went to the zoo, Lola’s team placed third and moved onto States. Javi won his first ninja competition. We took some impromptu family photos with a tripod in the woods.

In November we hosted Thanksgiving and the day before both our dryer and our dishwasher broke! Lola had her “Top Dog” week at school. Javi competed in the Spartan Race at Fenway Park. Eva turned four! The kids did a kindness fundraiser for school. I was diagnosed with pubic symphysis and overnight turned into someone who just… can’t move, or sit still without pain! Sean got pneumonia. I took over as awards chair for Cub Scouts. Lola’s Cheer team performed at States and they were amazing! Cheer ended and Tumbling began!

December was full! Christmas, advent, appointments (physical therapy, iron infusions, therapy sessions), kid illnesses, classroom parties, family get togethers, late bedtimes, Lola turning six… the list goes on. Sean and I went to a concert in Boston. We went to Edaville and the zoo and Disney on Ice. Javi and Lola started basketball. Eva got invited to her first friend party! Lola started Girl Scouts! NYE was spent at the bowling alley and arcade followed by a party at my parent’s house.

And that’s it. That was 2023. It was the hardest year of my life both mentally and physically. I feel exhausted by it but I’m hopeful that 2024 will bring us better health and happiness (and a healthy baby would be ideal, too.)

Let’s see what happens.