2011. No big deal. Nothing happened. Nothing changed.

Oh wait, I’m thinking about 2010.

Our 2011 was hah-uge! We had a baby! Our lives changed for, like, EVER, and it’s been the craziest, sweetest, scariest, coolest adventure to date.

I’m scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed (I know, shocker. I’m never on Facebook) (does our blog look good in sarcasm?), and I’m seeing lots of posts related to the exit of 2011. Most people say that 2011 was “meh” and that 2012 will be better; that 2011 didn’t turn out to be anything fabulous and they’re looking forward to what 2012 will bring instead; that 2011 was crappy and here’s hoping for a happier 2012. I’m having Déjà Vu all over again because I swear I saw these same declarations last year when 2011 was the fresh and promising start to goodness after a ho-hum 2010! Wheeee!!

But you know what? It’s just a number. It’s just a year. The good, the bad, and the ugly of life don’t know numbers from letters. They just… happen. We’re not getting all tangled up in the idea of a new number, branding 2011 as a certain adjective and 2012 as an opposite adjective. New Year’s Eve is a marker of time, and a visible chance on the calendar to do your best, hope for best, and plan for best.

Unfortunately, there is no switch to a lighter, brighter year as soon as Seacrest smiles at the camera at midnight. The switch is there all throughout the year, and we get to flip the switch any time we want. Why wait for the ball to drop? Instead, let’s be on the ball!

Our switch flipped on in August of 2011. No confetti. No balloon drop. No champagne. Just two hopeful people and a perfect little girl. A happy new year — a new life — indeed!

The best part about new years, though, is the chance to make a new New Year card! Did you know it’s awfully hard to get a baby, a dog, and a mom to cooperate for the camera? The dad just gets irritated over the whole charade because he manages to look great at every click of the camera. These were the photos and captions that almost made the cut.

Happy New Year from my crib to yours!

Happy New Year! If only this card was a video instead a photograph where you have to hold still for .2 seconds.

Happy New Year from mom and both her chins!

Happy New Year and wishing you lots of focus in the year 20 -- OH LOOK A PARTY BLOWER!

Happy New Year and wishing you good hair days a head. A HEAD. AHEAD. Get it? Eh?

Happy New Yezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Happy New Year and hoping you and your hair don't take flight.

Happy New Year and may you take comfort in your oral fixations.

Happy New Year and be classy as you celebrate! Don't fall asleep on the bottle!

Happy New Year to you and your dog. Wait, where is the dog going?

And after all that, we finally got our act together, so from our family to yours…