Mommy/Baby Update

Mommy is 17 weeks along right now, and little brother or sister is starting to move all around! This is kind of crazy because Mommy only felt me for the first time when she was 18 weeks along, and felt me consistently around 20 weeks!

Daddy even felt baby brother or sister kick!!! So exciting!

Mommy's feeling much better after about six weeks of a horrible cough and congestion that left her with a very sore throat, serious sleep deprivation, and on all sorts of allergy/cough meds. Of course before that Mommy and I had the stomach flu as well. After carrying me for nine months Mommy developed a common lower back problem known as SI Joint Dysfunction. It's pretty painful, and seems to be at it's worst right now. She also has a pain in her lower rib on one side that started when her cough got bad----it sounds like a trip to the chiropractor might be in order already! It must be a lot of work carrying a baby around in your tummy!

Mommy, Daddy and I are super excited for our new baby! I got a "Big Sister" book and I absolutely love it! I can't wait to take care of my new brother or sister. I got really excited when Mommy told me that my new baby could come to my birthday party.

Mommy's next appointment with her midwife will include the 20 week ultrasound. We'll get to see how our little peanut is growing. We can't wait to share some pics!

-Magnolia

Magnolia and Issac

These two played hard all weekend! They played bedtime together, as pictured above, and they played Mommy and Daddy, as they took care of their babies.

We took them to the park in their "banjo shirts" as Issac referred to them, to get some good pictures for the grandparents and great grandparents...Enjoy!

*see holiday posts below*

Ho, Ho, Ho Part I

Part I

Christmas Eve at Grandma and Papa's House

Pasta dinner! Thanks Grandma Crist---Mag's favorite!

Let the gifts begin!

Issac making cookies for Santa

Maggie making cookies for Santa

The finished products! I like how Maggie's has a big pile of pink sprinkles and Issac's has a big pile of blue sprinkles:)

Her offerings to the big man in red, and his reindeer friends!

Along with a letter that she told me said "I just pretended to bite cousin Issac, I didn't really bite him."

Let's hope he makes it to our house this year!

Ho, Ho, Ho Part II

Part II

Christmas Morning at Home

Favorite gift of all...the easel Daddy built for her!

Oh! She painted her hand too! Imagine that.

The very first picture painted on her easel she said was for Papa!

We miss you Papa!

Helping Boston get her bones out of her stocking

I love my kid! So freakin' excited about socks in her stocking. When she saw the Vandal pair, she said, "YES! It's Vandal time!"

Santa came! And he brought presents!

After seeing the gifts, and checking to make sure Santa ate the cookies she made for him, and that the reindeer ate their carrots, Maggie said "I LOVE Santa."

After she opened her cupcake gift from Santa, we had to sit down and have a "Happy Birthday Party" for baby.

A DOLLHOUSE! Thanks Santa!

She LOVES it!

Seriously! How did that guy get into my house through this thing?????

Ho, Ho, Ho Part III

Part III

Christmas Day at Aunt Sara and Uncle Brad's

Here we go again!

Why thank you Boston!

Woke up at 6:30am, but still excited!

Zac and Marley getting in some cuddles

Magnolia helped open some of Baby Cousin's gifts

Miss Sage

Miss Boston

Magnolia tuning her new guitar

Ho, Ho, Ho Part IV

Part IV

Christmas Dinner at Omah and Opah's

Cousins---They've been enjoying lots and lots of "cousin time" this holiday:)

Playing with Omah and Opah's classic McDonald's Toy Restaurant

Omah and Opah's gifts---pictures of the great littles!

Maggie's piggy from Zac's Aunt Cheri

A teacup and saucer from Omah---just perfect for our little tea drinker.

Magnolia, Zac and Issac opening gifts

Upside-Down Girl

Winter Solstice 2010

Sagey got her Svan highchair from my grandmother, mom, and Zac and I. Now Maggie and her have matching chairs! Maggie of course had to bring hers in to sit by baby cousin!

LOVE these chairs by the way;)

Maggie making Sage laugh!

Maggie told Gramma-Amoo "Hold your hands out like this!" She then opened her arms as wide as they would go to show Gramma-Amoo what she wanted. As soon as Gramma-Amoo opened up her arms Maggie ran right in for a big HUG!

FYI-Magnolia now calls my grandmother "Gramma-Amoo"

Our pretty dog posing for a picture by the evergreen.

A gift from Sara and Brad---A little sunlight for the shortest day of the year.

Magnolia's gifts from Gramma-Amoo.

My Grandmother loves to buy Maggie books, and Maggie's really loves Olivia right now! The other book is Do Princesses Wear Hiking Books?, also very appropriate for our little one who pretends she's "goin on a hike" daily.

"Mommy! Take a picture of me running!"

Lots of Love:)

Our Yule log burning in the fire. We saved the base of our tree from last year as our Yule log for this year.

We enjoyed a wonderful Solstice this year with family. We ate together, made an apple pie, shared some gifts, enjoyed a fire with our yule log, and made wishes for the new year to come!

Merry Solstice and a Happy Winter to All!!

Tree

We FINALLY got our tree decorated last night---I know, I know, it's a little late, but life got a little crazy for us these last few weeks.

Magnolia helped hang many of the ornaments (in one spot at the bottom of the tree of course)!

Jason and Roy came over to help her, and she quite enjoyed their company. She thinks those guys are the best!

RIP Anastasia Crist---We Love You

Tonight we had to say our good-byes to our sweet kitty. Ana suddenly suffered from kidney failure, and after almost 48 hours at the vet on dialysis it was determined that not much could be done to get her kidneys working on their own again. Zac and I went in and said the final good byes to our first little furry child, and we stayed with her as they put her to sleep. My grandmother, who had grown to love our sweet cat, had adopted Ana around five years ago, after explaining to us that her and Ana were just too much alike, and Ana REALLY liked living with her. We figured with the addition of Boston to the family this was probably true.

Grandma is doing as well as could be expected. Losing a pet is never easy.

We love you Anastasia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mommy, Daddy, Boston and Maggie Moo