I abandoned the idea of a family Christmas newsletter years ago when I started this family blog. It seemed redundant since I was posting news throughout the year. But I think it’s worthwhile looking back through the year and encapsulating some of the highlights. So… here’s a snapshot of our 2009!

We started the year nearing the end of the first trimester of our fourth pregnancy. While we waited excitedly for the latest Roades baby girl to arrive, we had little time to sit and ruminate! I continued to enjoy my job as a social software consultant and trainer while Rebecca was busy at home raising the girls (while growing another!).

In April, Z turned four and we had a fun trip to the National Zoo with friends of ours. I launched mrmerlot.com to dovetail with my work as a social media consultant and trainer. If you are interested in technology, check it out!

We had a couple trips to visit family in Pennsylvania, then tapered off our travel as we headed into the final trimester. In June, R had her first dance recital and did wonderfully! She had no hesitation about being on the big stage and it was a great finale to a fun year of dance lessons for her.

In late June we welcomed the fourth princess to our castle: C Grace! Sweet as could be, we have enjoyed the last six months as we’ve seen her grow from a newborn to a charming baby who is always ready with a ear-to-ear smile!

As we looked back on the past few years, we laughed along with our moms as we realized that between us and our siblings, they experienced the “grandparents fast track“: “Grandma” went from 0-6 grandchildren in under six years while “Nana” went from 0-8 grandchildren in under six years. Whoa!

July and August had us singly focused on adjusting to a newborn (again) and understanding what a family of six looks like! My company gives me two paid weeks of paternal leave which I used along with a week of annual leave. That meant I took nearly the whole month of July off, so going back to work in August wasn’t easy!

As if a newborn wasn’t enough of a challenge, we made the decision to homeschool R for her Kindergarten year. Rebecca started the “school year” in September using the Sonlight curriculum. Since Beck and R had already put in about 18 months of work learning to read and write, both were off and running with the new material! R amazes me with her inquisitiveness and intelligence. I’m excited to see what she picks up in 2010 as a part of her curriculum and through her self-directed learning. Providing an environment in which she can explore on her own terms will be a challenge!

Meanwhile, Z started going through the same book we used with R (which we highly recommend) to begin learning to read and write. Both have really enjoyed the opportunity to learn at home and Beck and I have both been blessed by the chance to spend so much time with them. Z also began dance lessons in September, joining R who started her second year of dance. Both are enjoying their weekly lessons and have made friends with several of their classmates! Back-to-back classes certainly makes for busy Wednesday evenings!

While I often wonder what she’s thinking, I’ve found that Z enjoys simple things like just spending time with mom or dad. With Z, it’s all about the quiet moments. She has an unconventional sense of humor and often laughs at her own offbeat jokes, which often have dark overtones (including inheriting her mother’s tendency to laugh when others trip or crash into things…). She also loves to “mommy” M and is quick to come to her aid.

Meanwhile, M emerged from her grumpy phase (which she began around 6 months) to become an absolute joy. Her sense of humor and independent nature means there’s never a dull moment and we’re never surprised to see her singing a song she made up, “nursing” her baby doll, or doing something else hilarious. Her vocabulary is still rather limited, but she makes up for it with her bubbly personality, quick wit, and charm! She also managed to master the potty – after a few days suffering through constant accidents, she suddenly “got it” and practically ditched diapers overnight!

We ended the year with the opportunity to have a mini adult-only vacation - only the second time we’ve done so in the last six years. Thanks to Rebecca’s mom who stayed with the kids overnight, we spent a couple days doing “grown up” things in downtown D.C. This included the International Spy Museum (including “Operation Spy”) and dinner at the Marrakesh (a traditional Moroccan restaurant), and a night at a hotel in Dupont Circle (see my reviews on Yelp). We also saw Avatar in 3D, one of the better movies we’ve seen this year. It was a nice getaway!

To a one, we have been incredibly blessed as a family in 2009 and I look forward to seeing what lies ahead in 2010!