Lucky '13

Saying goodbye to 2012 wasn’t hard for the North family; after suffering a miscarriage and the unexpected loss of our beloved dog Boz, Arthur and I couldn’t wait to see it end. We had to hope better things were on the horizon, especially because we were actively trying to expand our family. Our mantra going into this year became “Lucky ’13,” because it had to be.
And it was! Within the twelve months, Arthur and I conceived, grew (okay, I did that part), and welcomed our son into the world. Preparing for our new addition kept us busy from the time the pregnancy test turned positive at the end of January until well past Rowan’s birth at the end of September.  And of course since his debut, time has flown at an ever-faster rate.
Just as it was weird to think of entering a New Year that Boz wouldn’t be part of, it’s weird to think that Rowan (and Finn!) will be part of this and our future New Years. Weird in an absolutely wonderful way, of course! Going into parenthood, we heard from some people that having children was the best thing they’ve ever done and that their babies brought them indescribable joy. Opposing camps said while they loved their children, they couldn’t emphasize enough how mentally and emotionally taxing, not to mention financially draining, raising a family is. I can certainly see where the latter camp comes from, but I’m so thankful and pleased that my experience has been more in line with the former groups’ feelings.
I’m actually sad to see 2013 come to an end because it was so good to me and my family. As cheesy as it sounds, all my dreams came true this year when I became a mother to a healthy baby with a doting husband and a loving dog. I had my heart set on this kind of life for a long time, and I can’t believe I’m lucky enough to live it. The anxious part of me makes me wonder if that means 2014 will have bad things in store for us. Fortunately, my wise friend told me that 2013 was the beginning of wonderful things to come. I’m going to believe her.