34 Weeks

How Far Along: 34 weeks

Size of baby: Butternut Squash...yum! {17.2-18.7 inches, 4.2-5.8 pounds}

Total Weight Gain/Loss: +24...about a pound a week now.

Maternity Clothes: Yes...trying to get by with what I have.

Gender: It's a BOY! Maxwell {Max} Andrew.

Movement: Lots of movement

Sleep: Not to bad, although I wake up so sore.

What I miss: Bending over...this morning I had an itch on my toe

Cravings: Still watermelon!

Symptoms: Swollen feet, braxton hicks, heartburn, sciatic nerve pain, foot champs, leg cramps...you name it!

Best moment this week: I had a doctor's appointment last Thursday. Everything is still going well! And I FINALLY got his bedding ordered!

Christmas 2011 & New Year's 2012

Whew! We've had a busy couple of weeks...and I have a lot of catching up to do.
First of all, my grandma was in town from Washington...we had such a special Christmas with her! She left to go back home Monday, and we are surely going to miss her!

Our Christmas began December 18th, we had Christmas with Collin's mom and step dad. In leiu of gifts this year, we bought gifts for a local women's shelter. We had good food and good fun! It's always crazy, because there are 8 little kids and 12 adults.

Monday, December 19th my grandma arrived into town! We finally got to see her the next day at a party my dad was playing Santa. Annabelle spent the night with my parents, and got to spend some special time with her GG on Wednesday.
Wednesday was my last day of work until January 3rd! I was so glad to be able to really enjoy Christmas with my family! Thursday, I took my grandma for some last minute shopping...and by the time we got home and wrapped the last of the presents we were DONE! We napped on the couches for a long time :)

Christmas Eve, we enjoyed the morning running a few last minute errands and breakfast as a family. And this was the first year we were able to attend our Church's Christmas Eve service. I was so happy to go and even bring my grandma!

After the service we made our way to my Aunt's house for dinner. Annabelle was given a BEAUTIFUL red Radio Flyer tricycle! She loved and I was a nervous wreck.

We left my Aunt's house to go to my parents house to open presents with them. We let the girls open their presents first, and us adults had more fun watching them! Annabelle loved opening her presents and wanted to play with everything right then :)

After the girls were done, it was the adults turn. I think we finally got done 2 hours after we began!

Christmas morning, we had to WAKE Annabelle up at 9:00 to see what Santa brought. We enjoyed opening presents, eating, and even had a mini church service at our house {Thanks to Westhills!}.

After: we relaxed, watched movies, read, played, and slept the day away.

We did Christmas with the Ray's that night, had tasty beef stew, and opened more presents. I love watching Annabelle and Weston play, they are so sweet together!

The rest of my vacation was filled relaxing, doctor's appointments, family, shopping, friends, and food!

Our New Year's was spent at Carson and Laurice's. Nothing to big...just food and friends! Annabelle stayed up to ring in the New Year, but thankfully crashed not to long after midnight!

We didn't have to dream...

Because we got a WHITE Christmas!

Our Christmas Festivities started out with the Harmon Christmas on the 23rd. There were 8 kids, and it was pure chaos...but so much fun! The kids loved opening their presents and play so well together! Annabelle got a Paper Jamz guitar from Nana and Pawpaw, a Dora mermaid bath toy, Dora jammies, and bath crayons. The grown ups played Dirty Santa, and it was very tame...compared to years past :)

Christmas Eve morning we headed to Abi's to pick up Aurora's old Rose Petal Cottage, and see Abi's ring (she just got engaged like 2 days before)! Then we headed to the Groth Christmas. My aunt's got Annabelle the cutest little battery powered PINK VW beetle. She loved it! And it was so funny to watch her "drive" it. Thank goodness it had a handle for mommy to guide (and sometimes power) her around. I didn't think we were going to get her to open any other presents :) But we did...she also got an Elf on the Shelf, and a cute little puppy dog.
After we opened presents with our extended family, we walked next door to mom and dad's, because Santa always visits Gammy and Pappy on Christmas Eve. Annabelle got: a baby, stroller, sock monkey, books, 2 magna doodles, a really cute outfit, ABC chalk board, vacuum cleaner, and my parents are getting her a wooden playground.
She had a lot of fun opening her presents, and we had a lot fun watching her :)
She started getting cranky, because she did not take a nap, so we headed home around 7 and she was asleep before we pulled out of the driveway.

Christmas Day we stayed home. Usually we got to my parents for breakfast, but we decided this year to stay home...and it was the best decision EVER! Annabelle woke up around 8, and Santa stopped by our house. He brought a tea set, a new purse, and jammies. And from Mommy and Daddy she got 2 books. We cooked hashbrown casserole and piggy's in a blanket. Around 10, Collin's mom, step dad, and grandparents came over for breakfast and to see Annabelle's toys. She "drove" her car around for them, and around 11 the snow began to fall, and it didn't stop...we got about 3 inches! After they left, Annabelle took a nap, and we relaxed until it was time for...
The Ray Christmas. Collin's dad and step mom came over and while they played, I was cooking spaghetti...there is nothing like eating spaghetti on a snowy evening! When Carson, Laurice, and Weston got there we opened presents. Annabelle got: A princess towel, a jacket, pillow pet, the cutest top, an Ariel bath toy, and princess bath puffs.
After presents, we ate and the kiddos played. Then we celebrated Carson's birthday.

The day after Christmas the roads were icy and church was cancelled. After Collin's dad and step mom left, we started cleaning the post Christmas...but didn't have much success. We had lunch at Collin's mom's house. Grandma cooked fried chicken, mashed potatoes, biscuits, peas...it was so good!

I didn't have to work Monday, and I'm only in the office today. I'm looking forward to having the rest of the week off! And having an All day date with Collin on Friday, while Annabelle hangs out with her Nana, to celebrate my birthday! I can't believe I'm about to be 25!



Christmas Shopping Extravaganza 2010

I love the weekends leading up to Christmas! They are filled with family and friends, good food and good laughs! This weekend was nothing short of that!

Friday, my parents came over for dinner. We just ordered pizza and enjoyed the company. Annabelle loves to put on a show!

Saturday, was our Christmas Shopping Extravaganza! We met friends at Cracker Barrell at 8:00!! Collin was unable to go because he was working and I was a little worried how Annabelle was going to act, but she was so sweet the entire day! She loved seeing all her friends at Cracker Barrell and even let me finish up our Christmas shopping. We left the mall around 1:00 and Annabelle was asleep at 1:01. She did not wake up till 3:30! Collin got home and we got ready to go to the Phillip's for pizza and "Christmas Vacation"! We had the best time! And Annabelle had lots of people to show off for.

Sunday, we had church AND SNOW! It was beautiful! Annabelle wasn't feeling well, so I brought her into service with us. She was so well behaved and even fell asleep at the end. We left church and headed to Douglasville. Collin help take fire wood to a homeless camp, and we ate lunch then headed to my parents house for family dinner! Annabelle was on nap strike, and she was so tired by 7:00. We stopped by Walgreen's and got some medicine, but she didn't go to sleep till 9:00.

We have a very slow week this week! I'm so glad, because come Friday we hit the ground running till Christmas! I can't wait!

These pictures are from Saturday night. Annabelle loves these boys! She is so lucky to be so loved!