JANUARY:
It was all about getting the storage/craft room packed up and cleared out. This is the room that would become the nursery. I'm embarrassed to show these pictures-what a mess!! But I was in the middle of going through it all and tossing or packing things.
FEBRUARY:~Matt and I took our annual trip to Estes Park-we picked up some yummy treats and enjoyed fondue one night, another tradition for this trip.
We also went snowshoeing our last day in Estes-the snow was perfect!! It was absolutely gorgeous that day.
We also went snowshoeing our last day in Estes-the snow was perfect!! It was absolutely gorgeous that day.
Here I am-snowshoeing at 31 weeks pregnant!
MARCH: 
My good friend Derrick - out of all my guy friends, he was by far the most excited for us. He's a dad of two girls himself.
Theresa, my friend, co-worker and host of this shower-Thanks lady!!
East Side Shower-hosted by Ann, Stephanie and Robin (sadly she had to leave before we took these pictures!) Thanks ladies-for spoiling me and for all the great gifts and advice!
And one more...my sister and good friend Amy had a shower for me with all my former co-workers & friends. I never get a chance to see these ladies so this was fun!!
Maegan, Amy & I - this cake was gorgeous and was the most yummy lemon cake I'd ever tasted-YUM!! Not only that, it was gorgeous!! I'm not a "typical" baby shower cake kinda gal so this was perfect!
Opening the quilt my sister handmade me. Yes, you read that right. Maegan handmade me this quilt-LOVE it!
The group - fabulous friends!
APRIL:
MARCH:
~This was the month of baby showers hosted by amazing friends and co-workers!!
First was my shower at work-this cake was insanely amazing, I can still taste it!!
My good friend Derrick - out of all my guy friends, he was by far the most excited for us. He's a dad of two girls himself.
Theresa, my friend, co-worker and host of this shower-Thanks lady!!
East Side Shower-hosted by Ann, Stephanie and Robin (sadly she had to leave before we took these pictures!) Thanks ladies-for spoiling me and for all the great gifts and advice!
And one more...my sister and good friend Amy had a shower for me with all my former co-workers & friends. I never get a chance to see these ladies so this was fun!!
Maegan, Amy & I - this cake was gorgeous and was the most yummy lemon cake I'd ever tasted-YUM!! Not only that, it was gorgeous!! I'm not a "typical" baby shower cake kinda gal so this was perfect!
Opening the quilt my sister handmade me. Yes, you read that right. Maegan handmade me this quilt-LOVE it!
The group - fabulous friends!
APRIL:
~This month was all about finishing up the nursery-here's Matt putting the finishing touches on the clouds.
The tree is done!! Thanks to my friend Andrea for hooking us up with the projector!! We used that to draw the basic idea on the wall and then we free-handed the rest. Some of the leaves are covered in the fabric pieces left over from the quilt my sister made.
We also picked out "coming home from the hospital outfits"-as you can see there is one for a girl and one for a boy. We didn't find out what we were having so had to be prepared with both!
By mid-April my feet were hurting. Look at this nasty photo of my feet one night after work!! I would come home from work and take my shoes off and then go sit in the nursery to relax. I can't believe that I am showing you this again-once was enough wasn't it?
MAY:
~Still not making any progress, and about 10 days overdue, we checked into the hospital on May 2, 2010 to be induced. This was our last picture before starting the cytotec (cervix ripening) and getting the show on the road.
24 hours later, after stalling out at 6cm and the baby showing signs of distress...we went in for a c-section.
Our first family photo-just minutes after McClellan arrived!
5 days later we were home - the neighbors had decorated the entire front of our house with pink "It's a girl" signage, balloons, and banners.
First Mother's Day - we got out for a walk and enjoyed the beautiful weather, and our even more beautiful little girl.
JUNE:
The tree is done!! Thanks to my friend Andrea for hooking us up with the projector!! We used that to draw the basic idea on the wall and then we free-handed the rest. Some of the leaves are covered in the fabric pieces left over from the quilt my sister made.
We also picked out "coming home from the hospital outfits"-as you can see there is one for a girl and one for a boy. We didn't find out what we were having so had to be prepared with both!
By mid-April my feet were hurting. Look at this nasty photo of my feet one night after work!! I would come home from work and take my shoes off and then go sit in the nursery to relax. I can't believe that I am showing you this again-once was enough wasn't it?
MAY:
~Still not making any progress, and about 10 days overdue, we checked into the hospital on May 2, 2010 to be induced. This was our last picture before starting the cytotec (cervix ripening) and getting the show on the road.
24 hours later, after stalling out at 6cm and the baby showing signs of distress...we went in for a c-section.
IT'S A GIRL!! McClellan Wynn Millner was born at 8:34pm weighing 9lbs 7oz & 21 3/4" long
This was the first picture as she was pulled out. When Matt said "It's a girl", I was shocked!! I really thought we'd have a boy, even though I'd been having girl dreams the few months leading up to her arrival.
Our first family photo-just minutes after McClellan arrived!
5 days later we were home - the neighbors had decorated the entire front of our house with pink "It's a girl" signage, balloons, and banners.
First Mother's Day - we got out for a walk and enjoyed the beautiful weather, and our even more beautiful little girl.
JUNE:
~Happy 1st Father's Day Matt!! We celebrated by taking him up for BBQ in Bailey.
JULY: 
Of course while back in Lawrence we had to take McClellan up to campus and start indoctrinating her in the Jayhawk culture-she fit right in with her Rock Chalk onesie and is without a doubt a true Jayhawk!
At the end of the month we headed to Breckenridge for a last weekend getaway before I headed back to work. The weather was lousy-cloudy and rainy the entire time, but we managed to get a few photos to capture the highlights.
AUGUST: 
SEPTEMBER:
JULY:
~McClellan and I went on a road trip to Kansas-she was perfect, sleeping pretty much the entire way!
Matt met us there a week later and we headed to KC for some Oklahoma Joe's BBQ-seriously yummy!!
Looking at this picture it dawns on me that this was the last weekend that McClellan used her pacifier. She really was never big on it anyway but we thought that we'd let her hang on to it while we had her out of her element.
Of course while back in Lawrence we had to take McClellan up to campus and start indoctrinating her in the Jayhawk culture-she fit right in with her Rock Chalk onesie and is without a doubt a true Jayhawk!
At the end of the month we headed to Breckenridge for a last weekend getaway before I headed back to work. The weather was lousy-cloudy and rainy the entire time, but we managed to get a few photos to capture the highlights.
AUGUST:
~I went back to work in August and honestly thought my heart was being ripped out of my chest. It was a rough month to say the least.
My sister came out the first week and took care of McClellan and then the second week Matt stayed home with her-that was a HUGE life saver in helping me get back to work without totally losing my mind.
Just a few pictures of McClellan in her total cuteness-the tutu is courtesy of her Auntie Mae. My sister went shopping daily with McClellan while she was out here. McClellan practically had a new outfit for each day between her Mimi and Aunt Maegan!
SEPTEMBER:
~McClellan had her first park experience and loved it. Not only did she look insanely adorable but she totally was digging the swing and being outside!
Mimi came to town in September also!! We had a great time together and there was more shopping of course...I'm telling you my child will never hurt for clothes with my Mom and Sister around!!
McClellan's first farm trip!! She loved the chickens that lived in the school buses at Grant Farms in Wellington, CO - they are responsible for the yummy CSA produce we rave about.
We took McClellan on her first hike in Rocky Mountain National Park - my sister and her family came out and we headed up to Estes for the day.
Family Photo time:
OCTOBER:
Mimi came to town in September also!! We had a great time together and there was more shopping of course...I'm telling you my child will never hurt for clothes with my Mom and Sister around!!
McClellan's first farm trip!! She loved the chickens that lived in the school buses at Grant Farms in Wellington, CO - they are responsible for the yummy CSA produce we rave about.
We took McClellan on her first hike in Rocky Mountain National Park - my sister and her family came out and we headed up to Estes for the day.
Family Photo time:
OCTOBER:
~McClellan went to her first Pumpkin Patch out at May Farms-love this place!! Tons of pumpkins to choose from but we already had the cutest pumpkin in the patch!
McClellan was busy this month-between the normal fall activities she also kept busy campaigning for best baby ever. She won of course-no competition!! (And yes, I'm totally biased people)
My sister and Keeton came back out for a visit and we hit up another pumpkin patch.
McClellan's first Halloween - and so she of course was the cutest pumpkin ever, ever, ever!!
NOVEMBER:
McClellan was busy this month-between the normal fall activities she also kept busy campaigning for best baby ever. She won of course-no competition!! (And yes, I'm totally biased people)
My sister and Keeton came back out for a visit and we hit up another pumpkin patch.
McClellan's first Halloween - and so she of course was the cutest pumpkin ever, ever, ever!!
NOVEMBER:~My whole family met up in Estes Park for Thanksgving. We've done this before but this year was special having McClellan with us.
I even made my first pie!! I actually don't like pie, seriously. Each year I try to make something from my Grandma Ellestad's recipe collection, this year it was her pie crust with pitted pie cherries from Grant Farms-everyone said it was uber yummy so guess I'll believe them!
DECEMBER:
I even made my first pie!! I actually don't like pie, seriously. Each year I try to make something from my Grandma Ellestad's recipe collection, this year it was her pie crust with pitted pie cherries from Grant Farms-everyone said it was uber yummy so guess I'll believe them!
DECEMBER:
~We kept with tradition and headed to the mountains to find the perfect Christmas tree. McClellan loved it-this was her first time in the backpack carrier and she did great!
McClellan's first Christmas!! She was so excited and loved all the lights and sounds of the season. 
As we kick off the new year and look forward to what 2011 will bring us, it's been fun to look at a few of the highlights of what is now "last year." So much has happened and so much has changed for us. We are so lucky.
McClellan's first Christmas!! She was so excited and loved all the lights and sounds of the season.
We were blessed, and spoiled, yet again this year at Christmas. The truth is, we got our Christmas present back in May and nothing could really compare to the gift of our daughter.
As we kick off the new year and look forward to what 2011 will bring us, it's been fun to look at a few of the highlights of what is now "last year." So much has happened and so much has changed for us. We are so lucky.
I have no doubt that 2011 will continue to bring us blessings and lots of photo opportunities. I look forward to them all!!
