Happy New Year!!!! 2012

It was an exciting 2011.  We went on five trips throughout the US, Europe, and India.  The Carpenter and the Suarez families came all the way out to visit us.  We celebrated Desmond’s First Birthday, and we found out we are expecting Carpenter 2.0.  Desmond started ‘school’ this year and has made a lot of good friends.  He sees his best bud Joshua almost every day at the playground in the morning and school in the afternoon.   Des (and Joshua) just received their first (of many) certificate of completion in music class – they learned about new instruments and were able to try them out.  Overall it has been an exciting, balanced year!

This year we had a nice family Christmas.  Desmond was completely in the Christmas spirit but he was more obsessed with Frosty the Snowman than with Santa Claus.  On Christmas morning he woke up and we told him Santa came, he did not move.  We told him Rudolph came, he still did not move.  Then we told him that Frosty came and he ran out to see what Frosty brought.  He was a little overwhelmed and it took some time for him to ‘get into the spirit’ of unwrapping gifts, but he got there.  Thanks to ‘Santa’ he received new trains, puzzles, two tents, and many more exciting gifts.  After unwrapping all of the gifts, we had a nice family breakfast and started to prepare for the afternoon.  We had some friends over for Christmas dinner and the kids played all afternoon together.  It was very relaxing and enjoyable time.  Des was exhausted from all of the Christmas activity and took three-hour naps for the next few days. 

New Years was not as exciting as Christmas but still enjoyable.  We spent time together as a family on New Year’s Eve, reading books and playing with trains.  I think Desmond even snuck in an extra watch of Frosty the Snowman!  Marcus and I spent the evening watching movies and eating delicious Spicy Indian take out… yum!  We actually were very lame and didn’t make it up to midnight but woke up the next morning in 2012!!! 

This year we have a lot of exciting things to look forward to.  We are now waiting for the arrival of Carpenter 2.0.  Desmond has been getting plenty of baby experience with all of the new babies around the embassy and this morning he came up to give the baby in the belly a kiss without being asked!  We are looking forward to the return of the Suarez Grandparents, Grandpa Carpenter, and Aunt Becca.  Before leaving India, we would like to take a few more trips to see the country.  Of course Desmond is going to continue with his schooling and playing (what he does best).  In the second half of the year, we will be headed back to the US, ending our tour here.  We have plenty of time to reflect so I won’t go into to now.  Right now we are looking forward to an exciting year!

Here are a bunch of pictures from the last few months.  We promise to update everyone once Carpenter 2.0 arrives (hopefully soon!).

We will post pictures shortly from the last few months, still sorting through them.

Happy New Year!!