it’s practically the middle of january 2013 now, but i’d love to take a quick look back at some highlights from 2012 with a year in review post. these are always my favorite to put together (you can see 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011) because i love taking an evening to look back through my archives and remember. this post is completely narcissistic with a billion photos below (um. but then again, this is a blog so you already knew that), but if you’d like to take a look back at some favorite moments from last year with me, you can find the first six months below, after the jump…
in january, we rang in the new year in utah with family! my friend candice took some photos of eleanor while we were there, too. we tried to spend days outside when the weather was nice and ate a lot of warm crock pot meals. friends came to visit us in dc and i reached the half way mark with my pregnancy! woo! eleanor played the piano with papa and also made progress eating solids (it’s been, well, still is, an uphill battle with that one.) we celebrated josh’s birthday with a homemade ice cream cake roll, too.
in february, eleanor turned one! we held a little birthday party for her to celebrate her one year milestone and also to celebrate us surviving. ;) we spent a weekend in nyc and made a little video about it. i shared some thoughts and frustrations about how people frequently commented on my second pregnancy. we celebrated valentine’s day! eleanor and i spent a lot of mornings playing in her nursery. josh and i went to see jim gaffigan perform (so good). i spent a lot of sick days around the house with E (thanks samson!) and we enjoyed spending our weekends together. i blogged about puffed pancakes (if you’re still looking for the recipe), we spent a day at the zoo and made a little video about it. josh and i went off of candy, desserts and soda for an entire month (ugh.)
in march, eleanor started walking! we found out the gender of baby and revealed it with a little video we made. we celebrated my little twin sisters’ birthday with cupcakes. my dear friend carissa took some photos of me and eleanor and my baby bump (see here and here) that i will cherish forever. we spent a lot of weekends at the park and an afternoon in oldtown. i blogged about my pregnancy life savers and also my thoughts on becoming a mama of two. we visited the beautiful cherry blossoms at the tidal basin, and a few pregnancy posts here.
in april, we celebrated easter in dc and papa made us colorful pancakes! we saw doug aitken’s installation at the hirsshorn and also, here are my three favorite butts! i blogged about my favorite maternity wear, we spent a weekend in nyc to see a friend’s broadway debut! we found this fun restaurant in dc and another pregnancy post here. we took a weekend trip to charlottesville and visited monticello (see posts here and here and a post on UVA here). we also went to florida as a family and visited the beach and st. augustine.
in may, granddad and nana came to visit! i got to model a bunch of beautiful maternity wear for more of me and we celebrated a special day just for mama’s. ;) josh and i painted a chalkboard wall in eleanor’s nursery. eleanor and i went strawberry picking with some of our favorite people, my little sister got married, and friends came to visit! but the very best part of may didn’t happen until the end of the month, when baby samson surprised us by arriving a few weeks early on the 30th!
in june, we took the month very slow as we began adjusting to life with new baby samson. we also had a few celebrations to cover, josh’s first father’s day as a papa of two kiddos! i turned 26 years old in june, we celebrated five years of marriage (woot woot!) and samson’s first month of life, too!
next up! the last six months of 2012…
You guys are such a sweet family, it sure shows through in your photos. It’s so fun to follow along and I can’t believe that’s all been this past year!
Xo
Shelby
Brandonandshelby.blogspot.com
Thanks for sharing, I love your blog!& as always absolutely lovely photos :)
xo
Bianca
I absolutely love this recap, I got to know you more and I love it. Congrats on such a successful year and I can not wait to see what 2013 has in store for you!
xx
Kelly
Sparkles and Shoes
What a fun year for your family. Love your photos as always.
:)
love this! can’t believe how quickly time passes us by…been following you before E and now Samson is so grown up! thank you for sharing your life with us :)
I love this post because, while the photos are gorgeous, I only started reading your blog this summer so this was an awesome way to catch up quickly!!! XO Jenna
I love reading your blog and looking at all the beautiful pictures on it.
My boyfriend and I are trying to get pregnant. So your lovely family is an inspiration and your stories are making us only more eager to start a family of our own! :)
Love from Belgium!
Ragna
so beautiful!!!
You have such a beautiful family! You’re very blessed woman :)
http://lartoffashion.blogspot.com
What an amazing round-up of BEAUTIFUL photographs, wow. It must be so lovely for you to keep them all to look back on :) x
Sounds like a pretty darn fabulous year!! Here’s to all the wonderful things 2013 will hold!!
Your family is beautiful and your photographs are gorgeous.
I love these little recaps that you’ve been doing each year! This one is by far my favorite because of all the beautiful pictures!! Love love love your little family! xoxo
You take the most gorgeous pictures & have the sweetest family. Thanks for sharing!
http://www.nateandmaryclaire.blogspot.com
Sorry but i’m tearing up seeing the pics of little E and Kingsley together… The always looked like such a happy twosome!
aw man. me too. me too.
You guys are too cute! Love those flowers in the hair :)
http://razzdazzle.blogspot.mx/
this is too cute. what i wonderful idea. it’s been fantastic seeing E & S grow up and even though i don’t know you guys in person it feels like i know so much about you, thank you for sharing your private life with us.
x’s o’s
Anacristina
laughsandicecream.blogspot.com
What a great year. Here’s to another one!
http://lifeiswhathappensblog.wordpress.com/
such a sweet family :)
Gloriously beautiful!!
What a lovely recap of an absolutely amazing year! What growth and change you’re family experienced in 2012. I’m sure it isn’t always smiles, and yet, you seem to be able to take the time to document so much joy in the lives and faces of your family. You’ve, once again, inspired me to settle a little more into where my life is right now, document more, smile more, and worry less.
All the best in 2013!
You have a beautiful family dear! xo
This is such a good way to summarize all the great moments of the last year.
http://lejlatravels.blogspot.com/
lovely family pictures!!! this is such a nice post
http://www.thestelstyle.com
I love your pregnancy posts, I didn’t start following you regularly until shortly before Samson was born so these are all new to me…but you hit it home in that last paragraph in the post entitled “music for eleanor, check ups, and getting ready for june!”. I’m with you, too. Pregnancy (and life, too) is so uncomfortable, painful, and tedious…but why focus on that? I don’t think it’s naive to not focus on negative things you can’t control. I think it’s practical, I mean…why let something you can’t control weigh your day down? It just seems silly.
I’d also be interested in knowing your thoughts on those comments now that Samson is here.
thank you! i will be honest there are moments that are rough, but i think i prepped myself for the worst because all i heard were horror stories. and it hasn’t been that bad. also, i don’t know anything else now but what life is like with two babies, so it’s what i know, and what i do. it’s been especially wonderful since samson has hit the 6 month mark (not needing constant holding and not as fragile). since he can sit up on his own and interact with eleanor, it’s so special to sit back and observe. i’m so grateful to have them both and the timing has been great for us.
love this reflection post! Must have taken you quite a while to compile everything into such a neat & organised list. Cheers to happy new year! 2013 ♥
http://smittenbyangels.blogspot.com
SO much change in just 6 months!! can’t wait to see what 2013 will bring for the davis family :)
i LOVE these posts, too! definitely my favorite. look how much your little ones have grown! they are so dang cute. can’t wait for the next half :)
Definitely the cutiest family in this world!
Love it! The pictures are great. We have a 6 month old and are thinking about baby #2 – I like seeing that it can be manageable…If it’s insane your good at hiding it :)
xo,
http://wildcalm.wordpress.com
hahaha. it’s not insane! you can do it. there are definitely chaotic moments during each day, but you just figure out how to juggle in your own way. plus, your heart is about to burst times 2 every single day. i’ll take as many chaotic moments as required to feel that each day. it’s the best. good luck!
Adore your family immensely! What an amazing year it was!
i love these posts and what a year you have had :)
I can’t get over how gorgeous these pictures are. Seriously, so beautiful and wonderful. You have a lot of wonderful memories from this past year. I’m so glad that it was so fantastic for you!
I love your blog and I love all the special memories you share with your readers. I am 21 and just recently got married to the love of my life. You’ve inspired me to be more purposeful with my blog. I take more pictures and write more things down. It will be such a beautiful thing to look back on. E and S will be so happy to have this when they get older. God bless your family! Here’s to a great 2013
Carlkatie.blogspot.com
What a fabulous year you had!
Loved reading this first 6-mo recap. And your pictures remind me that I REALLY need to get a better camera lens. Your pictures are so vibrant and bright. Do you use the same lens for most of all your pictures? Your smiles are contagious!
i always love these posts. :) i was inspired to make one once…but then it took me about 3.5 weeks to do the first six months alone and i gave up. props to you for finding time to do it with 2 kids!
You and your family are so adorable. It is such a joy for me to follow along and see all your smiling faces. I can’t believe all that happened in just those six months! I’m looking forward to Part 2.
xoxo, Caroline
Hitting home with E and Kingsley! Love that furry fellow!! Wouldn’t it be super sweet to do a post on Samson meeting Kingsley!? Oh, man!
Great recap! So happy to have discovered your blog recently. It does take time to catalog all the fun times, but goodness it’s worth it & I commend you! Love that you throw moments of messiness in there too. Those usually accompany the best times.
It’s amazing to see how much Eleanor has grown in just a year and of course little Samson being born! What a great year for you! xo
http://www.jenventure.blogspot.co.uk
loving this review of the last year – have been following for a couple of years now and love these posts every year.
when i consider having my second baby i can’t help but always think of your blog and how wonderful you make being a mum of two littles look.
I don’t even know how you were able to go through all of your amazing pictures to pic the best ones! I’ve been following your blog for a couple of years now and your photos always put a smile on my face :) thanks for sharing!
it’s so great to look back on the year and see how much has changed, isn’t it? life is so beautiful!
I was looking forward to reading this all day!
Wow, what a year 2012 has been for your family! What a blessing it’s to look back on all those memories : )
Of all the family blogs yours is the cutest one!!
Best wishes!
I just adore all of your photos! You have such a beautiful, happy little family!
absolutely beautiful post. crazy how a year goes by so quickly, and how much your little ones have grown so quickly! your blog is such an inspiration – you make motherhood look both real and beautiful! well done :)
Such a beautiful family! I hope 2013 is even more wonderful. You are brave a beautiful mother of 3! (can’t forget Kingsley). I cannot believe how much the littles have grown.
Lots of love in 2013
Hello Taza!! How do you do that forehead braid?? I love it! :)
Congratulations for your beautiful family!
*Kisses from Portugal*
i don’t know how you do it all! so cute as always.
http://www.thismomsgonnasnap.com
My, oh my! What a fun six months. I love your blog and all the special moments (especially the fun, pregancy ones!) you share with all of us. You seriously are in inspiration for all of us that long to have both a baby and a toddler. Looking forward to part 2!
Enjoy your day!
– Talia
rubytiaradiaries.blogspot.com
hi naomi! i’ve never commented before but i’ve been a longtime reader. just wanted to say how much i’ve appreciated getting a peek into your world and your lovely family. i especially love your positivity, as it helps to remind me to look around my world with the same optimism. i can often focus on just the negative (e.g. i have a 9 month old little girl and have loved every second of it, but i’m also just.so.tired…), so i’m constantly working on it ;) anyway, thanks again and love the photos!
This post is absolutely beautiful and inspiring, Going through your pictures makes me realize how much time has past. I still remember waiting for baby Samson to arrive through your posts. Love the blogging world!
what a great roundup. cheers to 2013!!!!
I got me a bulldog because of you guys. How is Kingsley by the way? I miss him and his cute bow ties, I’m sure you do too.
Love to all from Brazil.
Dear lovely family,
I love how you tell the story of your beautiful happy family. I hope someday I can write and post something beautiful just like you did. The papa and mama are great, Eleanor is adorable, and Samson is very cute.
Kisses from Indonesia :)
so much beauty in one place! it reminds me of that elsie de wolfe quote. I really love your blog.
but,i will say that it’s difficult to look at all these pictures of delicious food when I’m hungry. what are your thoughts on maybe selling some of that food in the shop section of your blog. starting with that cake with chocolate frosting. ;) just a suggestion. haha. just kidding.
This is too beautiful. I want to cry. Eleanor has grown so much. I miss Mr. Kingsley. You have a beautiful family. Thank you for the sunshine all these years.
I just can’t believe you’re 26 and you already have such an amazing family! There are no words to tell you how important it is for me to see that it is possible for couples to really be happy together, if there is real love. And you and Josh certainly have got what it takes. Times are hard and young people have lost their faith in family and couplehood,and it just makes me sad.
Thank you so much for the inspiration and this little seed of hope you’ve planted in my heart since last year, when I discovered your little corner of the web. God bless all 4 of you!
Anna from Tincture Tales!
Love following the adventures of your beautiful little family!
I’ve been following your sweet family since you were pregnant with Eleanor and have loved seeing how y’all have grown and changed over the last couple of years. And I love that you are not afraid to open up about your fears and times that you struggle with raising two little ones, especially since I am about to have another little one.
Thanks for sharing your lives with us!
xo-
Amanda
http://www.meandmotherhood.com
I’m always amazed at your flawless photography…looks like you had a wonderful 2012!
The Real McCoy(s)
I love it! It must be so beautiful in D.C. then the flowers are blooming in spring.
How did you lose that baby weight so quickly?! you look awesome and are always posting pictures of the most decadent foods. anywho, you look stunning and wonderfully thin. :)
;) Heather
it’s crazy how much e has grown in a year! like, seriously crazy she used to be that small. and mr. kingsley! miss that wonderful pup.
Naomi, these pictures are so beautiful, I love the recaps. I’ve been reading for years, and it’s so lovely to see how you have grown into the most amazing, caring mother. You should be so very proud of yourself and your beautiful family :)
P.S. I found out I was pregnant when you were pregnant with Eleanor, and Samson makes me want to try for our second SO badly ;)
Your maternity pictures is something beautiful… melts my heart …
Naomi, if possible , could you , please, post about how it is to tandem nurse. I got an impression that you were doing that when you mentioned something about it from the earlier posts about Samson. And what did you do during pregnancy? I am 4 mo pregnant, and my 15 mo old wants to nurse, and I’d like to, but I get little support from my surroundings. I am wondering what your experience was on that. If possible, of course.
Thank you.
http://www.livingnotesfromnyc.com
I clicked to look through and my first thought was, “weird that she started this post with older pictures of Samson” and then I realized it was Eleanor! They look so much alike. Adorable.
I Have loved following your family- you are so gorgeous and so are your children. I too have 2 children as well close to the same ages as yours and it makes me appreciate them more when I read your blog. So thank you.
Shelby
brandonandshelby.blogspot.com
I don’t even know where to begin with my favorite pictures of this post! Those angelic photos of E – ahh! Too cute. And I’ve always admired the pictures of the flowery trees. And, of course, anything with a baby bump is just adorable.
Sheree
thehartungs.blogspot.ca
What a beautiful 2012 you’ve had! Hope 2013 is even more full of joy and blessings for your lovely family.
Lucy | http://www.we-resolve.com
Your blog is so gorgeous.. Not to mention your two delicious little ones. Just a quick question- how is it with them sharing a room ? Is it difficult with nap times during the day? Do they disturb each other? I am thinking of putting my two together but fear it could really disrupt daytime naps.. Would love to know how u do it?
hi! it has been OK so far… both are deep sleepers (we gave them the master bedroom which is on the front end of our apartment, so there are sirens and horns and street noise all day/night long and so i think it’s helped them adjust to sleeping deeply.) both somehow make it to our bed by 4 or 5 in the morning, but i don’t mind it (we coslept with both of them for the first few months of their lives). the only issue is nap time since eleanor somehow likes to play with her loudest toys when i am trying to get samson to sleep. sometimes right as i am laying him down into his crib all asleep she runs in banging a pot (unintentionally to her of course, but it’s like, FOR REAL!?) so we’re still figuring out the nap thing… i have debated wheeling samson’s crib out into the kitchen or living room so she can play while he sleeps… might try that soon. sorry. i guess i didn’t have any helpful advice. good luck!
Thankyou! It is always such a juggling act isnt it! I live in Australia and having been to Nyc many times (pre kids) i am so impressed how you mummies do it! Esp in winter. Incredible!! Xx
Pingback: Highlights.
The picture of Eleanor eating the cupcake it by far my favourite picture of a child ever. How adorable is she??!
You are the cutest mama in the world!