2009.

It has been quite the year for the C Family.

January.

Chris enters his 2nd semester of graduate school and is teaching undergraduate classes. He spends his free time taking care of a wife that won't stop puking. Erin gets her exercise by running from her office across the building to another bathroom to puke so her coworkers don't suspect anything. She reaches 12 weeks at the end of the month and spills the beans so she is allowed to puke freely in any bathroom she wants. Carly still has fins.

February.

Chris and Erin move to a smaller apartment to save money on rent. Chris goes away for a few days to a conference, and Erin spends the weekend setting up the new place. Carly makes her puke a lot, but she decides to cook dinner for herself and spills rice all over the kitchen. It stays there until Chris returns.

March.

Erin continues having dreams and impressions that baby is a boy. They find out baby is Carly. Erin doubts her mother's intuition. But the baby is amazingly beautiful. Chris cries when he sees her perfect physiological structure.

April.

Chris and Erin run off to the West for a week. Erin and Carly walk across the stage at Erin's BYU graduation. Chris waits 2 hours for Erin's 5 seconds of fame.

May.

Chris wages a mighty battle with Ikea over a faulty crib. Erin leaves the cute middle pregnancy stage and enters the really big stage. Carly takes tumbling classes.

June.

Chris and Erin celebrate their 3rd anniversary by buying Carly Applebee's riblets for dinner and skipping out on the movie they planned to see because Erin was really tired and huge. They decide their 4th anniversary will be more spectacular.

July.

Erin is really huge now. Chris shows off his handyman skills by building bookshelves, gliders, changing tables, swings, and strollers. They get a new crib that is too big for their Honda Civic and have to drive home at 5 MPH with Chris hanging out the car window and holding the boxed crib on the roof of the car. Erin breaks the news to her bosses that she plans to quit and is frequently asked how she'll support a child with a student husband. She has no answer.

August.

Erin goes into labor 2 days before her due date. During one of Erin's contractions, Chris complains of a bad Charlie Horse and calls it "the worst pain in the world". Erin gives birth to the most beautiful being to ever grace the earth and spends the rest of the month in a shocked stupor. Chris takes care of his wife, newborn, starts school, runs UT's fitness center, and works on three research projects. He is occasionally allowed some water and crackers for sustenance. Carly gains a whole pound within 4 days of her birth.

September.

Erin learns to walk again and even leaves the house occasionally. Carly spends most of the month eating. Chris's crazy August schedule stretches into September.

October.

The family of 3 spends 1 and 1/2 hours on Halloween night looking for a friend's house where they were supposed to attend a party. Carly is the cutest mouse and cutest skeleton ever. Both sets of grandparents visit for her blessing and bare record of her perfection. Chris and Erin are still alive.

November.

Chris goes to Michigan to a PhD program visit. Erin finds single motherhood beyond difficult and gives up trying to keep everything together. She spends the days watching "Say Yes to the Dress" and waiting for his return. Carly can't believe some of the dresses these women choose to get married in. She also enjoys Thanksgiving morning watching The Godfather with her parents.

December.

Chris's semester from you-know-where finally ends. Erin is grateful to have him home. Carly is huge. The family of 3 sets off on a 3 week, 3 state vacation. Carly is insanely spoiled on her first Christmas. Chris and Erin love her more each day.

2009 has been good to us. Bring on 2010.