Tanner Journal: February 2011

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Tanner Top Ten in 2010

Here is a little summary of our year.

1. Sarah made it to 35 weeks and 5 days of twin pregnancy! This is quite an accomplishment when you are packing around 50 lbs of extra belly, and running after a very active toddler at the same time. She was sure her stomach was going to pop at any moment. The pregnancy went very well and Sarah and both babies stayed healthy throughout and afterward.

2. Elena was born at 2:18 pm on April 16 weighing 7 lbs and measuring up at 18 ½ inches.

3. Abigail was born at 2:19 pm on April 16 also weighing 7 lbs but measuring slightly shorter at 18 inches. She was the chubbier baby. J
They are both great babies and we have loved the excitement they bring. Sarah’s parents came for 5 weeks to help after the twins were born. It was great to have some help with the busy days and sleepless nights! These cute girls are a lot of work, but a fun addition to our family. Despite being born early they are right on schedule developmentally and just learned to crawl.

4. Mark took his final Actuarial exam (2 weeks after the twins were born) . . . and passed!
It has been 8 years since he started the exams, and he is so glad to be done! For those who are unfamiliar with actuarial exams, this is sort of like finishing medical school (including the rotations) or completing a PhD in rocket science. Sarah gets most of the credit because she handled everything around the house (including Adriana) so Mark could study constantly for months at a time.

5. Adriana turned 2, but feels (and talks) like she is 4. She is our social bug. She loves to have play dates and talk to most anyone. She has also mastered potty training which helps to diminish our diaper count. Adriana is a proud big sister and loves taking care of and helping with ‘her’ babies. They stay entertained by all the fun things she does.

6. Traveled We went out to Utah this summer to visit family and friends. The drive was long (babies don’t like being in car seats for 23 hours), but we had a great time there and had fun introducing the twins to everyone. In the fall, Sarah and the girls went to Iowa to spend a few weeks with her family. Then Sarah’s parents, her sister Emily and her 2 kids, and our family met up for a small reunion in Branson, MO. We had never been there, and had a great time seeing a variety of shows and attractions. We hope to go again in the future.

7. We bought a van and we love it! It was hard to give up the Accord, but squeezing all 3 car seats together was a challenge (driving to Utah made that very clear). We love the space and feel spoiled with so much room.

8. We Moved to Connecticut this fall. Mark got a new job that he really likes, working with MassMutual Insurance in annuities. Connecticut is very different from Dallas, but we’re enjoying it, and we loved seeing the leaves change.

9. & 10. We are now the parents of 3 beautiful girls which has kept us hopping this year. These last two points are the most time consuming and really sum up what we’ve done with most of our year. We enjoy seeing them grow and learn with all the surprises that come with that. We hope this New Year brings great things to you and your family!

Love, Mark, Sarah, Adriana, Elena & Abigail

Christmas 2010

Wow, is it February already? This move has used up any free time we had. The good thing is that we are almost unpacked and feeling more at home. We picked the wrong winter to move to Connecticut. January made all the records in snowfall (over 5 feet) Hopefully we'll get some pictures of that up. It is crazy and keeps on comin.

We had a great Christmas and had lots of fun with family and friends. We spent Christmas in Iowa and New Years in Missouri. It's all about pictures so here are some of the favorites. We hope you all had a great holiday season!