Accidental Smiles: 2013 -- A Year In Review

One of this year's resolutions is going to be attempting to maintain my blog better than I have been in the past.... year. I checked in today, and found this post I started writing around this time last year, or something like that. So I'm just going to go ahead and post this unfinished piece as a poetic attempt to start anew... out with the old, in with the new, eh? Here goes...

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Where did 2013 go, huh? One second it's just beginning and the next thing you know -- poof! -- it's all gone!

I will admit, I've been a very bad blogger in 2013, and I'd be lying if I said that being a better blogger in 2014 was one of my New Year's resolutions. Because it's not. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to try harder. I swear.

So let's start this year off right with a decent recap of 2013, month by month, shall we? It's going to be a long one, so bear with me... you will be reward with witty quips and adorable Samma pictures!

JANUARY:

We brought Samantha to the Boston Children's Museum for the very first time. I think she and I had as much fun as any other kid there. We spent most of the time in the very first ball room, and of course playing with the water experiments was her favorite.

We also experienced our first HouseParty - Pull-Ups Potty Training at its finest! Here we have the kiddles tossing their diapers away into the potty.... I don't think they really understood the significance, but at least they had fun doing it!

Chris also turned 30, the temperature dipped below 4-degrees, and I met Bobby Flay!

FEBRUARY:

February brought is the 2' Snowpocalypse, so of course we needed to bring Samma sledding once we could dig ourselves out!

And we celebrated Mardis Gras! I believe I taught her how to say "Throw me something, Mister!" but we weren't able to collaborate the shirt-lift. Next year.... this year?

MARCH:

Sam was sick. A lot. This picture is probably from the one weekend during March where she actually felt well enough to go out and attend a birthday party.

And of course, there was St. Patrick's Day! The family went to the annual parade in Southie, so not only was it Sam's first time there, but mine as well! I remember it being very, very cold.

PAX EAST!!! Sam went once before when she was a wee little baby, then we skipped a year, and then Chris brought her this year because I was home sick. I think she had fun there in her little Captain America shirt, and she wasn't really afraid of the PvZ Zombie either!

Easter... and with it, candy, egg hunts,and adorable dresses!

Did I mention the Easter Egg hunts? And the cute dresses?

APRIL:

Many things happened in April, and more of them don't need to be discussed further in my blog dedicated to my daughter. I'll just leave those events where they are, and note that I never held my child closer than during that horrific time.

We enjoyed our first park day of the season....

... and we shared our first Dairy Queen of the season!

On my birthday we went into Boston, so we took a ride on the carousel...

... and visited the Make Way For Ducklings statues. Some might think it odd, wanting to go into Boston days after the Marathon tragedy, but honestly -- no one is going us away from our city. And Samma knows that. She loves going into Boston, and I couldn't be prouder.

MAY:

I finally graduated and received my undergrad. What's so important to me was that I was able to finally finish my 13-year journey while working full-time and being a mom to my little girl. And I hope, though she was younger, that she could see I did it not only for myself, but to show her that no matter what life throws at you, you can always achieve your goals and follow your dreams, even if it takes you a little longer than expected. Nothing made me happier than finishing my degree and getting this hug from my daughter afterwards.

I then decided to hang up Sam's Disney Princess decals one random night at 10pm. There's also a Snow White one and a Belle, but they are still chillin' in the laundry room until I find the motivation to finish what I started.