One day at a time

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!!

A little late? Nah. We partied Saturday, Sunday and Monday! And we're getting ready to bring in the New Year with Me-mom and Be-pop tomorrow night.
In between then, I have been deathly ill. I (kind of) feel sorry for my family because I may have voiced just how terrible I feel quite a few times. I cannot remember the last time that I was actually deathly ill sick...and being pregnant on top of that. It hasn't been pretty. I just may be feeling better because it's past 9 and I am still awake. I'm hoping to be at least 50% by tomorrow so I can be sipping my n/a wine and playing cards on NYE.
Back to Christmas, Madeline was a lot of fun this year. When I was laying her down on the night before the night before Christmas, she asked, "Santa coming?". I don't think she understood, but it was still cute. She is very fond of Santa, as long as it is from a distance or in a book. Nothing is just "lights" or "tree", she addresses everything as "Cwrismas tree", "Cwismas wights", etc. It is sad to think that next week, it will all just be a memory and we have to wait an entire year to enjoy Christmas through our child's eyes. I know, there are so many other things that are coming up that will make this year fly and we will all be rushing around to make the magic of Christmas happen again. Just makes me sad that it comes and goes so fast....and that there are only, what feels like, a few years where kids believe in the magic. So, I'll just cherish every second of this innocence.
My brother finally revealed the news to our (extended) family that I am going to be an AUNT!! Well, he didn't exactly say it in that way..but that's how I heard it. Glad that secret is finally out!!!
We are due a month apart!!! WOW!
Our baby has really started becoming active. We have a strong fighter here. Remember that promising phone call reversing terrible news to awesome news? Yeah, went for the ultrasound and they retracted their awesome news, leaving us with the whole "detached placenta" black cloud over our heads again. Yep, 8-10cm area where it is detached. It was quite the shock to hear that all over again. So, I'll be honest, I needed a few days to process it. I'm feeling pretty good now....besides this damn cold...have I mentioned I'm sick as a dog?? (where in the hell did that phrase even come from?) We are now in the care of a high risk Dr and go back for another ultrasound on January 22 to hopefully see that it is healing itself. We have all been praying so hard, so there is no doubt that the only thing I will have to worry about at this ultrasound is that my husband keeps his promise of team green. If it is not healing, they will be closely monitoring and starting to set small goals for us to make it to...that part REALLY scares me. Joshua was in the hospital for damn near a month after being born premature. Although, I know they have come a long way...even in these short (will be) 14 years. But I'm not worrying about all of that just yet! In the Drs words, we'll take it one day at a time and I have a feeling those days will lead right into the end of May and I will have the most beautiful labor experience I could ever dream of. THAT is my focus.

Now, how about some ADORABLE Christmas pictures?? I only add the "immediates" in my blog pictures...more cute pictures will hit facebook by tomorrow.

Tea please?

I love the look on Be-pop's face while giving his joke gift!

Oooo...Me-mom will be printing some things on this!

Seriously one of my favorites....3 generations of bear slippers!!! My Dad may have had bear slipper envy over my awesome black bears. 

Daddy love!

Admiring Aunt Jeanne's village!

And staying close to Be-pop!

Making tea before presents!

Of all of my amazingly awesome, thoughtful gifts, this umbrella from Anthony made me cry. Why? Because it shows that he listens to every word that I babble about. One day, I saw an old lady with a clear bubble umbrella and I said, "I just love those bubble umbrellas, I wish I could fin one." That was it. Then my adoring husband was on a search for a bubble umbrella. He also did this with a cross necklace that I admired on the show Sons Of Anarchy and that was an amazing surprise too.

I may have got him a little mushy too. hehe.

Josh is SO photogenic....HA!

There were gifts other than clothes too! Like violent video games and headsets.

He likes to pile his trash around him as he opens.

Madeline was quite surprised to come downstairs to this!

She knows what I like!

Giving Daddy his gift.

Daddy had a lot of fun with the pirate outfit.

Like the Christmas 'do? It was her idea.haha.

With my gorgeous Mom :) 

Dutch Wonderland

Had such a fun Saturday at Dutch Wonderland with Anthony and Madeline!! Joshua wanted to check out the outlets instead. I don't blame him, it is more for kids 5 and under. It was such an adorable experience for Madeline though, beautiful Christmas light display, dinner with Santa, a train ride through the lights, and adorable Christmas displays all around.

Having some "hopcorn"

Ho Ho bow

The choo-choo train we rode on.

Lights on the train ride.

Elves making cookies.

My favorite picture...with Daddy on the cars.

Reindeer.

Mommy and Madeline on the horse and buggy.

Playing with the igloo blocks.

Milk break.

Carousel with Daddy.

Santa fail

Last year, when Madeline screamed her head off when we placed her on Santa's lap, I said, "Oh, she'll be better next year".
Then, when I dressed her up to see the Easter bunny and she screamed, so then we had a picture of Me-mom, Mom, Madeline and me with the bunny.
This year, she LOVES talking about Santa Clause and saying, "ho, ho, ho!". So, we were so sure she would be thrilled to be placed on his lap, especially considering we told her there would be a lollipop reward after!!

Not so much. 

There's our $40 Santa picture package, including 2 5x7's, 6 wallets and 2 key chains. Santa fail!


We have been to the Herr's factory about 6 times since their light display was lit. She loves the lights so much, shouting out her colors as we ride by. They had an adorable tractor ride on Wednesday night through their display that Madeline was even more infatuated with than riding through in a car. Then, on Thursday night, it was cookies with Santa and Chipper. We even made reindeer food...which she wanted to eat because it was pretzels and glitter. She enjoyed Santa a lot more in that environment though, obviously because Chipper was protecting her.

Making reindeer food

Loving the decorations inside

Having a seat with Joshua while we wait in line for Santa.

Cutie pie

She loves Chipper!!

And tolerated Santa for the candy cane.

So, maybe next year? By then, we will have double the Santa chaos!