Time is moving too fast!

Whew! Thankfully, 2013 flew by!  Not that I think years passing quickly is a good thing, but if one year of my life could just be on fast forward, it would have been 2013.  About 7 months ago we moved in with Nick's parents, and Nick's sister and her family. Boy has that just rocked my world.  I won't go into it, but it's been rough.  Lots of kids running around (there are 5 kids 3 and under in our house all of the time), lots of messes, but also lots of fun. Tristan loves waking up and playing with the kids.  For the most part, the kids get along well.  It was hard moving from a 3 bedroom house into 2 bedrooms in a house.  Our bedroom is currently a bedroom, 2 offices and a living room.  I guess anywhere we live after this will feel extra spacious. Another thing that happened in 2013 is that Evelyn spent almost 5 months in the hospital with GI issues that progressively got worse then better and then worse than ever before.  Nick stayed with her almost every night and ended up pushing back his graduation until May (he was supposed to graduate in Dec.) because it was too stressful and too busy for him to work on his thesis last year.  It's been a constant struggle to keep Evelyn healthy.  But she is such a cute, sweet little girl and we are so surprised at how well she is adjusting to being home.   I couldn't ask for a better daughter and she is doing so much better since she came home on Christmas day.  It feels like we've had a rough 3-4 years. We're all ready for something good to come our way- hopefully in the form of an awesome job for Nick! He has been working so hard at school and has put out over 150 resumes since last month. That is a job in itself!  Well, here is to a better, more productive and healthier 2014!

It seems like the only way Evy would sleep at the hospital was when she was cuddling on someone's lap.  I loved it :)

Tristan and Evy playing with toys at the hospital. Evy could hardly leave her bed since she was hooked up to a lot of machines and because she had a PIC line, but sometimes there were special moments like this. 

This was what happened most.  She was really sad at the hospital most days and had to stay in her crib. Poor baby!

So sweet!

When Evy wasn't in isolation one week, her nurses rigged up this wagon so that we could take the kids outside to see the firetrucks! 

Evy's first time outside in months!

She looks so chunky here! 

Grandma Dorn came for 2 weeks to help out with Tristan and she brought Mady with her. They were so nice to do that!

Evy on Halloween!

Tristan got to sleep over at the hospital quite a few times. It was really nice to have our family together. 

Tristan Triceratops!

One of my favorite pictures.  She fell asleep not long after this.

Happy for attention :)

Tristan was also having a rough time this year with Evy being in the hospital. But we tried to make things as normal as possible. We went to the museum and to parks and tried to make things as calm and stress-free for him as possible.  He was such a trooper.

Evy on her 1st birthday, December 5th.

Our family christmas portrait with Santa.  Evy was under quarantine and couldn't leave her room. 

When Evelyn was able to leave the hospital for a few weeks in Dec. we went with some friends to Zoo Lights.  The kids both loved it.  Evy didn't think Santa was too awesome though. 

Uncle Morgan came home for Christmas from Baltimore. This was Christmas Day, the same day Evy came home from the hospital. She was really lethargic and didn't feel well, so we tried to make Christmas low-key. 

Tristan and daddy building a snow fort Jan 2014. 

Evy's first time in the snow!

All of the kiddos, plus a friend :)

Denver Botanic Gardens lights.

This was taken in August or September at Nick's friend's wedding. It's such a spunky family photo but we love it. Evy went into the hospital soon after. 

Daddy loving on Evy, Vail in July!

Still happy even though she's in the hospital. 

Mommy and Tristan time. 

What a cute little boy. 

Tristan and Evy when she came home last February. 

 I just wanted to put this photo last to show how far we've all come. It may have been a rough year, but nothing was as hard as the months she was in the NICU. We survived all of it.  I couldn't be more proud of our family.

I should also mention that Tristan turns 3 this month! I cannot believe how big he is!