January - A relatively slow start to the new year. K continues to master the art of walking and I reluctantly say goodbye to his baby curls. The kids shift beds - C gets a big girl mattress (bunk bed is M.I.A) and K finally moves into a real crib.
February - A wonderfully relaxing and enjoyable family trip to Maui. We spend each morning at the pool and each afternoon at the beach. When we get home, potty training unexpectedly begins.
March - The whole Klaehn family comes to CA for a visit and we spend a fun-filled day touring San Francisco.
April - Easter at the GVZ's and a rendezvous with my childhood friend Beth and her family at Muir Woods. My still sharp and mobile Grandmother celebrates her 95th Birthday in NYC.
May - We make the decision to move to London. Who would have guessed that the decision was the easy part?!
June - C celebrates her 3rd birthday. It was wet and wonderful. Grandma Joan & Grandpa Marvin help celebrate.
July - Party season is in full swing. Grandpa Corky is a lifesaver and comes out for a couple of weeks to help watch the kids so that J can get us sorted and packed. On a weekend drive, we found the most awesome of strawberry fields located on a bluff above the Pacific Ocean.
August - Possibly the busiest - and certainly the craziest - month on record. It begins with a J family trip to Banff. Then we celebrate my 40th Birthday. We have our last playdates and say our good-byes. The bathroom that I've dreamed about finally gets finished (in time for renters). The kids and I have fun visiting family on the east coast. J moves mountains getting us packed up and loses 10lbs in the process. Two sets of movers come. We barely manage to beat the hurricane and fly to London to start our new adventure.
September - Settled into our temporary apartment in Westminster, we start exploring London with visits to the London Zoo, Borough Market and lots of parks and playgrounds. J still has nightmares about August.
October - We move into our permanent home in Chiswick. Grandma Joan comes to help us get unpacked. The only furniture we have downstairs is the blow up air mattress that she is sleeping on.
November - Finally getting settled. We even have enough furniture to host our friends for Thanksgiving.
December - Uncle Brian comes for dinner and J wows with his cooking skills. C sings a solo in the school play. We celebrate K's 2nd Birthday in Brussels, our first European adventure. In keeping with tradition, J's parents come to visit and ring in the New Year with us.
The word 'transition' comes to mind when I look back on our year. Not small, easy transitions, but the big, hairy, 'your life will never be the same' ones. K started the year barely walking and ended it running, jumping and scooting. C is in her own bed, fully potty-trained. She started at a new school and is just blossoming with new words, new insights and new ideas every day. I entered a new decade. And oh yeah, we moved to London!!!! Of course, big transitions do not come easy. They are hard fought and come with their share of heartaches, frustrations, disappointments and a whole lot of stress. But we made it through and I'm excited to see what rewards our efforts will bring us in 2012.
Happy New Year!
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