Christmas!

This Christmas was amazing - I even almost started crying at one point (when I was "helping Santa" fill Annie's stocking) because of how happy I am - sometimes it just blows me away how lucky we are to have all that we do - a beautiful, healthy and happy baby, wonderful families who we ENJOY spending time with, and amazing friends! It all hits me especially at this time of year, and did even more so than normal now that we have Annie.

Ben's parents watched Annie on the 23rd (my birthday) since we were going out, and we all got together at their house on Christmas Eve morning, which meant we had to wake up earlier than we usually do if Annie is home... luckily I got a nap later!

I'll let the photos tell the story here!

Annie was all ready! She loved this bear that played Christmas tunes

She first got to open her stocking made by Grandma!

And opening another one of her presents

It was a hit!

Watching the snow fall

After presents, we got to work preparing brunch - we did some fondue and breakfast pizzas

Annie was a BIG fan of the frozen hash browns

Our contribution

The table (I like Annie peeking out in the corner)

After brunch, Annie and I both went to take a nap - hers lasted 3 HOURS - longest nap of her life! While she napped, we played some game I can't remember - it had to do with words and letters.

Stockings - the "little kids", and grandchildren :) Once you have a kid, you don't get a stocking anymore.

There she is, with that bear again!

Santa butt

And then we went home and relaxed that night - we were all pretty exhausted!

The Christmas tree in the dark morning light

SANTA CAME!!! Somewhere I saw the idea to do 4 presents on Christmas with the theme "want, need, wear, read" - so we went with that this year. It seems like a great way to limit gifts, especially with the abundance of gifts Annie will likely always get from grandparents, aunts and uncles. The "wants" were even kind of lame - a bead maze that someone else gave her for a baby shower present brought up from the basement, and a $5 pull toy that came with the Christmas books :) Good thing she doesn't know the difference at all!

As I expected, one of her favorites was her new straw sippy cup - took her a few tries to figure out NOT to tip this one up, but she seemed to be getting it!

Santa filled Annie's stocking with a few of her favorite things: tissue paper, a tupperware filled with cheerios, a diaper (she enjoys carrying them around the house), a bow, and a sprinkles container

then we went down to my parents to spend the day with them and my Grandma - no presents since Liz wasn't there, just a good meal and hanging out!

Even got a quick visit with Erin and Nick!

Annie destroyed all Grandma's hard work in stacking up her cups

Best toy of the day was my Grandma's walker!

yummm

The yule log crackled away while we enjoyed dinner

Annie was pretty thrilled to be trying out Aunt Liz's rocking chair

She REALLY, really wanted the camera

I made some of my favorite cookies, which I have made before as a part of my epic cookie baking extravaganza

Annie tried on Grandma's dress from when she was a baby - it fit!

And thus ended our Christmas celebration, until this Friday!

47 Weeks

Annie's sweater this week is a Christmas present from her Grandma Lisa!

Every week I'm kind of surprised by how big the number is - 47! That means there are only 5 more of these weekly posts left... I've given myself the cut off of one year old for these, and then I'll take the Raggedy Ann picture monthly. I know I will miss these weekly posts, but there ain't no way I could keep them up forever, so I have to stop sometime, especially if I have any hope of being "equal" on the blog with a 2nd child...

This was a big week, that included Annie's first Christmas of course - but that will be another post. We still have another Christmas celebration this Friday with my family because Liz and Jono are still in Mexico, so the Christmas spirit will live on, even though we already took down the tree and a lot of the decorations in our house - the tree was dying and I was sick of watering it, so out on the curb it went!

Opening her Christmas present from Sue at daycare

It feels like a really long week actually - it began with me getting in a crash with my little Geo Prizm, which has been with me since I was 16 (that's 13 years) - we haven't even gotten an estimate on it, because we were planning on getting a new car fairly soon anyway, so right now I am without a car. On my birthday on Thursday night, I also dropped my phone in the toilet (it was in my back pocket) BEFORE using it, thankfully, so THAT'S broken now too. You all know how much I love my iPhone too, so this is quite a difficult separation for me. I have had it in a bag of rice since then, tried blow drying it today, and finally broke down and bought the recommended Bheestie Bag today, so hopefully that works.

Ben and Annie out to breakfast at Mickey's Diner on my birthday

This is another outfit that I got before Annie was born - so surreal that she's finally big enough to wear it!

The first part of this week, Annie seemed a little crankier than normal - who knows what that was all about, but she did get a cold and her 4 top teeth are continuing to pop through, so it could have been a little of that. One funny story from this week was that on Wednesday, I made some hummus and steamed up some carrots and broccoli for Annie - she's not the biggest fan of plain veggies, so I thought she might like it better this way. I put it on her tray, and she FLIPPED OUT. Like, complete meltdown - screaming, and wouldn't even try it - normally she at least picks it up and puts whatever is on her tray in her mouth immediately, but she just was NOT a fan of the looks of this dinner at all! Anyway, I didn't really want to start the precedent that if you freak out, you get something else, so finally I decided to just dip a cheerio in hummus and put it on her tray next to the veggies - she ate that immediately (through her sobs) and then right after that started SHOVELING the veggies in. Whatever works!

Here is a little video of her eating after she decided this meal was okay

As I mentioned, Annie has another cold - she has woken up a few times this week really freaking out (usually she'll calm down pretty quickly on her own) and I have to admit, it was kind of nice, because she actually let me rock her where she'd lay her head on my shoulder instead of trying to squirm out of my arms. She seems to be in good enough spirits when awake, just stuffed up. It's a little harder for her to nurse, but she's eating fine. On Christmas day, she woke up with hives all over - most noticeably on her face, but they appeared other places too - it was totally strange! They didn't seem to bother her at all, and would go away, but then pop up in other places. She didn't have anything potentially allergenic that I know of on Christmas Eve either... we did change her sheets and do different PJs the next night, and didn't notice anything today. Very odd! She is SUPER drooly this week too - it is insane. Her shirts are soaked - her nose and mouth are leaking, so she's been pretty gross.

Annie has been clapping for a few weeks now, but is more consistent about it lately - she still doesn't really make noise when she claps, but she does it. We started inconsistently signing "more" and "all done" about a month ago, and Annie seems to have figured out the sign for "all done" although she does it whenever we say "all done" instead of when she ACTUALLY wants to be done :) Because she'll wave her hands around but then continue to eat..... sooo, who knows if she'll pick that up or not :)

We went and visited Grace and Sam in the NICU today - they have been there almost 2 months now, and we are all very anxious for them to come home! Sam is still on a very low amount of oxygen, but they are both doing great - they just need to figure out how to take all their feeds orally, and then they can come home! They were getting in some good practice when we were there.

Annie got to play with lots of new toys in the waiting room

I will close this post with a video of Annie shaking a sprinkles container - she loves any toy that shakes and makes noise, but this one was better than all of her actual toys, of course - she's easily entertained! Oh, and one more video of Annie putting the "pound" back in the name of her new "pound and roll tower" - ha - good thing our coffee table isn't anything super nice!

Merry Christmas!

Liz and Jono's Wedding - Part 2

For more details about the wedding, vendors and prep, check out Part 1 from yesterday!

Here are the photos from the wedding day!

The back of my hair - given how short and fine my hair is, I was impressed with my stylist's ability to make it appear that my hair was in an updo

We arrived at Landmark Center and saw that the chairs had been covered by the personal attendants - it all looked beautiful!

This is the room we got ready in - an old judge's chambers

I ordered lunch from my favorite - Nelson Cheese & Deli - great option since they deliver! Since I was the one doing the ordering, I also made sure that there would be snickerdoodle cookies...... highlight of my day :)

We then went outside in Rice Park to take photos - I had gotten all the bridesmaids these pashminas, and we all wore our boots. It was freezing.

We ran into Ben and Annie on the way back in! (please note that Ben's tie coordinates - thanks Liz!)

Annie couldn't quite figure out how to crawl in this dress

She sure did have fun patting and swishing it though!

Family! I love that Annie is touching my shoulder in this one

Took a little break from the dress before the ceremony - she was walked down the aisle with Ben and my mom

We watched from the 4th floor as guests started to arrive

I'm sure the guys loved being near my pumping supplies - I pumped on the floor under that desk, since that was the only outlet I could find :)

Signing the marriage license - my main duty

Grandpa helping Annie back into her dress

Best part of Annie's day - when Jolene let her use her phone

After the ceremony, Annie needed a DRINK!

Placecards that caused us such anxiety

The cake! The catering company was in charge of serving the cake - there was this tiered cake and some sheet cakes - they put out the sheet cakes but for some reason didn't ever put out the tiered cakes - a bunch of people didn't get cake and they were all left over... annoying!

Liz enjoyed the receiving line

Head table

One of the guest table centerpieces

Bride and groom!

The bridal party all wanted to do some cutesy funny thing when entering the reception - each couple did something, except me :) My "role" was just pretending that I thought the best man was nuts, which wasn't too difficult :)

The salad

Champagne Chicken, mashed potatoes and green beans - delicious!

First dance

My cousins have many children, so they hit the dance floor early

This wedding got a little rowdy. I felt old.

The photobooth was a HUGE hit - it was their guestbook, and it was so fun to look through it the next day! Madison, pictured here, is featured in probably 20 photos :)

A parting shot with my baby sister!

We had a blast, the only downer was cleaning up - I'd never had to be a part of that for any wedding before, and it's not so fun! We just had to pack up the centerpieces, take off the chair covers and bag them up, and get a few other things (like the entire cake) and the gifts in my parents truck. All said and done we didn't get home until 1:30 which is probably the latest I've stayed up since...... oh, before I was pregnant. Luckily we were able to sleep in until all of 8 the next morning! (just can't sleep in anymore apparently, even if Annie isn't there!)

The wedding was awesome, but it was a real relief to be done, much like my own. Liz and Jono are in Playa del Carmen right now on their honeymoon - hopefully they are having a great time!