2021- A Year in Review

We ended 2020 with COVID restrictions in full-swing. We had just come out of Christmas that had been cancelled, and everything was virtual/over Zoom. We were feeling very optimistic going into 2021 that things would be back to "normal" by the summer and our lives could carry on! We also had a lot to look forward to with 4 babies in our family being due within 5 months of each other.  

2021 has been one of the hardest years I can recall. We have had some VERY high highs, and some of the lowest lows. Honestly (aside from growing our family, which is a huge deal), the whole year feels sort of limbo. We didn't do anything significant, nothing really changed, we just puttered along and stayed home lots haha. However, there are some definite things worth highlighting!

JANUARY

Emilia starts preschool.

Vaccine rollout starts, and Bobo Moma receives her first dose! We do a window visit with her as it's all that is allowed at the time. This is our first time seeing her in person since February 2020.

Outdoor visits are also all that is allowed for everyone, so my family meets up at the park by Mom & Dad's.

Playdates had been cancelled for nearly a year, so we get creative.

Again, outdoors at the zoo to play with Rebecca.

28 weeks pregnant and I am doing Prenatal Barre Blend classes and am in better shape than I have been in a very long time. 

FEBRUARY

Dave and I go through our enneagram types and learn SO much about ourselves and each other, prompted by this Instagram post about enneagram types when they've had too much to drink.

Zoom baby shower for Aly & Ashleigh

Get free paint from a product testing site and paint the nursery to prep for baby.

Women's ministry Zoom prayer night. The goody bag is really the highlight for a 30 week pregnant woman ;)

A new local library opens walking distance from our house.

We do family photos as my maternity shoot!

I feel my most confident (possibly ever?) and Dave takes some maternity boudoir photos for me to remember this stage of life.

MARCH

A very cold trip to the beach for fish & chips. The only time we went to the beach in all of 2021.

Zoom storytime continues

Dave turns 30! His first COVID birthday. Everything shut down two days after his birthday last year.

We are so pregnant!

I accidentally give Dom a buzz cut...

We move Emilia into Dom's room to free the nursery up for baby.

Welcome Myles Jeffrey Gerber - March 20, 2021

Welcome Phoebe Renee Gerber - March 24, 2021

37 weeks pregnant and no longer having fun.

APRIL

Enjoying our last days before our family dynamic changes significantly

Meeting baby Phoebe for the first time

Easter creates this most amazing photo of these two <3

Dave takes newborn photos for Phoebe

I am very uncomfortable haha!

Welcome Eva Affina Kimber! April 16, 2021

Back in the hospital just days later for secondary postpartum hemorrhaging, leading to significant birth trauma (does it still count as birth trauma if it's 4 days later?) and the need for counselling. I still haven't entirely processed this event, and feel sad for Renee of last April. 

Feeling so much better physically after getting my body sorted out. Kids get to meet their new baby sister!

I'm trying hard to adjust to life as a mom of 3, while David enters his busiest season of the year and help is not readily available due to COVID, distance, and other new moms and dads who also need help! In addition to that, the preschool is closed for a couple weeks due to a COVID exposure, so that doesn't give me my much needed 4 hour breaks on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

MAY

Dom and Emilia continue to be inseparable

Miss Emilia turns 3! Second COVID birthday party - outdoor picnic

A significant moment for our year - our first COVID vaccination! Surely this will lead to better things, right? RIGHT?!

Not much to say here, but thought this photo deserved a spot haha

As we get closer to summer, restrictions start to ease, and we are able to visit outdoors with Bobo Moma again! 4 generations of women! Affina (Fien), Carolyn Fien, Renee Affina, Emilia Carolyn & Eva Affina!

Given that we have a newborn, we don't have a ton of plans in the Spring. We get outside when we can, and try to spend time as a family. Below was at the farmers market. 

I start working out again postpartum and complete an 8 week barre blend program. 
(I should probably get into that again... it felt so good)

I try to spend quality time with the big kids here and there. My attention is focused elsewhere nearly all the time, and I am starting to have some guilt.

Dave manifests his dream, and starts shooting car videos for some pretty sweet cars!

So glad we have that zoo pass. Made many visits this year. 

Our first Chickaletta park date of the year, and I feel brave and took all 3 kids out myself for the first time! It's a big deal for me.

More hope for the light at the end of the COVID tunnel when BC releases its restart plan. I'm not sure we actually made it to the end, and now we're back into a mix of 2 and 3. 

Celebrating the growing Gerber clan! Still waiting for one more this year :)

We FINALLY get out to visit Rebecca at their new place in Abbotsford. These kids have such a blast. Wish we could do it more often.

That time Dom accidentally called 911 using the emergency call feature on my phone while I was changing Eva's diaper. 

I start not feeling great. Physically, awesome. I was working out, eating well, being gracious with myself for what my body could handle. Mentally, I am just going through the motions. Never fully there, and not properly connecting with most of the family. I gravitate to Eva because she's the easiest part of my day, and slowly start dipping into postpartum depression. 

Yet another trip to the zoo. So grateful Dave can take time off when he needs to. 

JUNE

Great Oma & Great Opa meet Eva and she gives lots of great smiles. 

We pay off our line of credit! No photo of that, but Dom looks happy.

Some specially Daddy-Dom time, going out to dealerships to check out cool cars. 

Took the kids to the library and extended our visit to the playground outside. It feels like a big deal at the time because I didn't have Eva with me, and can just focus on the original two. It is a breath of fresh air, not having my attention pulled so many different directions. 

We go out for our first date night since Eva was born. Again -  a breath of fresh air!

Dom just loves Eva so much. Has to be close (sometimes too close) every chance he gets. 

Last day of preschool for the summer! Cue Renee rapidly dipping into postpartum depression.

They are cute though <3

Eves turns 2 months and was just a ray of sunshine in our home. Her and her giant cartoon eyes. 

I am incredibly grateful all of these mental health struggles were happening in the spring/summer. At least I could get outside, and the days were bright and warm. I feel it would have been even darker times had it been fall/winter. 

Remember Eva's mullet? It got much worse before I finally cut it. At this point it was still sort of charming... In an awful sort of way. 

We celebrate Ashleigh's 25th birthday with a backyard surprise party! I remember I had a really hard day this day, and actually sat down and told my mom I just wasn't feeling right; like I couldn't cope. Hadn't connected the dots yet though.

Father's Day. The kids are so proud to give Dave the mugs they made in preschool.

Father's day brunch at Opa & Oma's, with Emilia telling the three newborns how it is. Remember when they would just lay on a blanket and stare at the trees for half an hour? Those were the days!

First Chickaletta "fire" of the year. Also possibly my first night out on my own.

In the first week of summer, near the end of June, we have a record setting heat wave they call a "Heat Dome". Temperatures are 35-45(feels like 45-50) during the day, and 24-27 (feels like 31) at night. It is like living in an oven, with no escape. We try with water play, and air conditioners, but it is just too hot to be out, and we keep blowing fuses. Finally we have to pack up the family and go other places where they had A/C. We spend one day at Scott and Ashleigh's suite, and one at the Yzerman's basement. I don't know what we would have done otherwise. Schools are shut down and many people died due to the heat. It was incredibly stressful having a newborn during this time too, who needs to be swaddled to sleep, but will overheat much easier than a bigger child. 

Just the start of the heat wave. 

I mean the kids make good memories during this time, but it definitely took a toll on us who are already in survival mode!

JULY

The day after the hottest day on record in BC, the town of Lytton burns to the ground, starting off one of the worst wildfire seasons we've seen as well. 

I hit a new low, and finally connect the dots that what I was experiencing is undoubtedly postpartum depression. I get help from my Psychiatrist I'd already been speaking with, and came out with it publicly. It feels SO good to get out in the open, and like I can begin the healing process.

Hi Renee, you look like you could use some more stress! The heat wave finally does our fridge in, so we have an unexpected $2,500 expense and buy a new fridge. It was inevitable at some point, but we were planning for boxing week or something like that. 

Gramma and Grandpa retire! Time to party!

We are double vaccinated!

I received an outpouring of love, support, and help after posting about my struggles. Aunty Sonya watched the kids for a couple afternoons, and gave us a gift basket with all these goodies in it! I remember feeling like me again for the evening as we ask each other random questions from the internet and laugh lots.

I have always struggled with breastfeeding. The act itself is fine, but my supply is so unpredictable. Always pumping and trying to up my supply. Eva's 3 months old, and I've been supplementing her with formula, but apparently breastfeeding often enough still to inspire my mini-mom to do the same :)

We go to Rocky Point in Port Moody for Jeff & Marta's baby shower. Sadly Eva cries most of the time and it's stressful for me, but we do get a nice walk in along the water!

Dave takes the big kids to Rebecca's 3rd birthday party. I just love Emilia's smile in this photo. So huge.

More manifesting for Dave - he gets to do a video of this Lamborghini bright and early one morning.

Our first of very few times back to church since March 2020 as a family. It feels amazing and normal. 

We were gifted a week in Whistler, and it was just Dave, Eva and I for the first 4 nights. We were going to come home, but decided to pick up the big kids instead. We had two more nights with our whole little family. It is our first family vacation, and it felt so good. So much relaxing, "fun-momming", and many memories made!

While we are in Whistler, Dom & Emilia stay with Opa and Oma and make many memories of their own! They still ask relatively often to go stay there for 4 nights again.

AUGUST

A Kimber family reunion BBQ! Where everyone gets to meet baby Eva, named after the matriarch of the family. 

Earlier in the summer we started having dinners with the neighbours and they've continued to be great friends and support for us, especially since they had a baby 10 days before Eva!

Eva drew a picture of me with Eva in my tummy. I feel it's a fitting representation of how I had been feeling like a potato.

Eva starts sleeping through the night consistently!

Eva's first haircut - goodbye nasty mullet!

My first time back playing bass in 10 months.

Our last dinner at Gramma and Grandpa's place in Surrey.

Get to visit with Janine!

The forest fires are raging, and the smoke came billowing into Vancouver. We celebrate Adam's birthday at a park in Van amidst the smoke. 

The zoo opened a dinosaur exhibit and we finally get out to check it out! 

Dom really connected the dots on how to play board/card games like snakes & ladders and go fish. 

We sporadically have playdates with Phoebe

Dave finally gets to host an in-person poker/games night! First one since before March 2020!

Aunty Candy meets the Gerber babies!

Gramma and Grandpa move to Agassiz

Welcome Owen Adam Gerber - August 30, 2021

I officially join a support group over Zoom through the Pacific Postpartum Support Society which becomes a game changer for me, meeting every Monday evening.

SEPTEMBER

We go out to Agassiz for a day and have such a lovely time at their new home!

All four 2021 babies meet for the first time!

Another outdoor visit with Bobo Moma. She may lose the names sometimes, but she loves seeing the babies!

I return to work at the office at Spartan Foundation one morning per week.

Dom's first time at the dentist

We do newborn photos for Jeff, Marta and Owen

First day of preschool! Cue a huge sigh of relief for me! 

We realize that baby monitors reach to each other's houses, so Jesse and Kirsten could come over for a movie night after bed time!

The kids are sick, so Emilia got her first (negative) COVID test. 

We follow and visit a car parade/caravan/meet thing. It's not my thing haha, but it was cool anyway!

Dave injures his back working out and is basically immobilized for over a month. It turns out he had a "bumped disc" in his spine. 

Kirsten offers to take Sherlock for walks multiple times per week for months. MAJOR stress reliever for me! 

Celebrating Aunty Sonya's birthday at Elim and took advantage of a few photo ops. There were many this year!

4 babies born within 5 months

OCTOBER

I start coming out of my postpartum fog. Preschool is in, I am out of the house at the office a day a week, my meds are balanced, I am a part of the postpartum support group, David's work slows down a bit, and we were all sleeping through the night for a long time!

I start taking Emilia with me on the strider when I walk the dog for some quality time.

I pick up crocheting again

Since Eva moved to the nursery full time, Emilia was napping in our bed. Eventually it phased out into quiet time in our bed, and now she just doesn't nap at all anymore.

Mom & Dad take the big kids overnight, so we hit IKEA and overhaul their room again. Got to get those things done when they're out since they're impossible to do when they're around!

Thanksgiving dinner #1

Thanksgiving dinner #2!

Dave stays home with a napping Eva while I take the kids on their preschool pumpkin patch field trip

Quaranteam reunited for a Canucks game, dinner and games after restrictions started kicking in again.

Annual family trip to the Hazelmere pumpkin patch

I slice my finger cutting a loaf of sourdough and needed stitches. Secretly enjoyed the fact that I got a break from witching hour.

Quaranteam babies get baptized together!

We start getting more into baby led weaning with Eva.

Harry Potter Halloween - Chamber of Secrets edition

NOVEMBER

We get the kids' preschool pictures, and Emilia's "preschool smile" is born.

We finally get Dom into a booster seat!

More crazy 2021 weather. There was a bomb cyclone, a tornado touched down at UBC, and there were a few of these amazing double rainbows.

Spartan Foundation raises over $860,000 at our Complete Champions Reception!

9 years married!

I officially finish breastfeeding Eva.

A few atmospheric rivers in a row leads to catastrophic flooding throughout the province, but especially in Abbotsford, Princeton and Merritt. Highways are closed (some still are) due to flooding, landslides and washouts. Gramma and Grandpa couldn't even get out of Agassiz to visit us for a month!

I get a new cordless vacuum! Game changer for me.

We do our part and got our family flu shots.

The kids have their first sleepover with their cousin, Rebecca. They didn't get enough sleep, so Rebecca had a rough morning at their house the next day, and we later got this lovely letter in the mail <3

We get together with our small group again!

We have a double date with Scott & Ash at Camp Beer Co and end up with a headache the next day.

Little Eves starts crawling.

DECEMBER

Overall December 2021 isn't my favourite month. Throughout the month at least one of us is sick almost the whole time and the Omicron variant is taking hold in BC adding to that stress, but there are still some highlights! We do our daily advent activity calendar!

We have our first family brunch at Jeff & Marta's new place! They moved into Opa and Oma Gerber's house in Cloverdale, like 5 minutes up the road!

Eva's first snow

We go to dinner in Vancouver for my 30th birthday and the restaurant kitchen caught fire so we had to pivot. It was memorable at least! 

Quarantine life - lots of time at home!

By some miracle we are all healthy for ONE day, and it happens to be the Gerber family Christmas day - so grateful for that. 

MY OWN DOLLHOUSE! Highlight of the night was Emilia realizing she was getting her own dollhouse <3

The big kids get RSV the week of Christmas, so we have to cancel all our indoor plans. We still go out for one park playdate.

They were so sick - it was awful. Christmas day I considered taking Emilia to the hospital, but she perked up after her fever came down a bit. 

At least they had no idea about everything they missed over the holidays. We had to cancel our Christmas dinner, miss out on the Kimber Christmas in Agassiz that we were so looking forward to, and had to pivot plans for Dom's birthday. 

Our 5 year old!

Doing some outdoor celebrating for his birthday

We get nearly 8 inches of snow. 

These three have become so close this year. Though they're a lot of work and drain me, they're so much fun to have around and watch grow up!

I got a haircut! Part of my New Years plans to take better care of myself. 

Happy New Year! Last year I never would have thought we'd be doing another new years at home, alone, just speaking to people over Zoom. Cheers to a "better" 2022!