While I was out….

Last week when I delivered Teeny Peep, I had 3 posts for y’all but I didn’t get a chance to send them out to you :-(

womp womp

I didn’t want you to miss anything that went on around LWTH last week so until our regular scheduled programming (haha I feel so weird writing that, but I can’t not write it either because it makes me feel like I’m a television producer or something cool like that) returns, I wanted to share last week with you.  Check it out:

Maternity Pictures with Teeny Peep

My Unhealthy and Embarrassing Obsession with Laundry

Teeny Peep’s 38 Week Bumpdate

I hope y’all are having a great week so far!

Teeny Peep is Here!

We have officially welcomed our sweet Teeny Peep into the world!  On Sunday, January 17 our precious bundle of beautiful, Ellis Lambert, joined our family outside of the womb.  We are all in complete awe of God’s goodness for such an amazing miracle. Things might be slow around here for a bit as our family adjusts, but you can follow us on Instagram until we’re up and running around here again. Thank you all for the wonderful words of encouragment and the prayers you have lifted for us.  We have truly been depending on those.

Teeny Peep Bumpdate- Week 38

Ummmmmm…hello chipmunk cheeks. 

How much bigger are you going to get?!

Bumpdate with Dutch at 38 weeks

Date: 1/9/16
How far along: 38 weeks

Fruit-size comparison: A pumpkin….let me tell ya, I feel like I'm carrying a pumpkin!

Developmental milestones: Teeny Peep has a firm grasp with her fingers and all of her organs are matured.  She is ready for “departure” to the outside world!   She is beginning to shed her vernix caseosa because she will no longer need it when we get to meet her.  She is somewhere between 6 lbs and 9 lbs but I would guess based on her last measurement she is around 7 lbs. 

Maternity clothes: Can I wear maternity clothes forever?  I know that some women hate them, but I’m not looking forward to packing them away.

Weight gain: 23 lbs......apparently baby girl and I did a lot of growing, which explains the 3am hunger pains several nights last week.  My caregiver said I had leftover "holiday cheer" last week hahaha she's so right!

Stretch Marks: I've got plenty of kisses from heaven from carrying Dutch.  I applied lotions and such daily with that pregnancy, but to be honest I don't think I'm even going to try to prevent future stretch  marks.  I absolutely love these badges of honor and I'm so proud to wear them.

Sleep: I need a lot of it to help me get through each day. Lists running through my brain and contractions have kept me awake some though.

Best moment of the week: 1- I can honestly say that I am so close to “ready”. The majority of my lists are completed, baby laundry is done, I’ve commenced stocking the freezer with meals, pump parts are sterilized, her gear is out washed and has new batteries, bags are packed, and the car seat is clean and by the door. We are feeling closer to her birthday. 2- I met with my care provider again this week and baby girl had a heart rate of 134, my BP was 110/60, & she is measuring a week ahead with her fundal height. 3- This might sound weird but I am so excited that my contractions are becoming more frequent and more intense. I'm praying that my body is responding to them and we're getting closer to meeting our baby girl. 4- The Mr. and I had our “babymoon” this weekend and it was amazing!!  With Dutch we went on a week-long cruise, but this time all we could manage with schedules and a 1 year old was dinner and a movie without our favorite 3rd wheel.  But let me tell ya, it was ah-maz-ing!  We went to to see the new Starwars in 3d at an imax theater and then to my favorite french restaurant for dinner.  When we came home we watched the Steelers play and slept late the next moring before an amazingly trendy and delicious brunch.  This was only our 6th date since Dutch came along; it’s really tough when you live far from family who can help so when we get these moments we really try to embrace them.  We are so grateful for my bestie offering to help out; she’s an angel. 

Movement: I can tell that she is running out of room and her movements are very squished and muted.  She’s still active, just lacks room.

Cravings: Nothing that I can think of here.
Gender: Baby girl!!

Belly button: I love my new outtie :-)

Wedding Ring: On

Anything making you queasy/sick: I can’t eat a lot because it makes me sick to my stomach.

What I miss: Sushi

What I’m looking forward to: I am looking forward to Teeny Peep’s birthday and bringing her home.  I can’t wait to see her face, to learn her sweet scent, to see my hubby become a daddy to a girl (by the way I'm crying as I write this!), to seeing Dutch as a big brother and to learning more about his sister.....basically to see how life will become even more joyful with her presence.

Labor signs: Woah contractions are officially here!  They are becoming more and more uncomfortable and predictable.  I’m still walking, talking, & rocking through them.  I’m just praying intensely that those contractions are doing what they are supposed to be doing.  With Dutch I was in early labor for 3 weeks before his arrival, I’m hoping that early labor doesn’t last as long with Teeny Peep.

Symptoms: I really cannot complain: I am so BLESSED to have had another easy pregnancy.  I only have a few weeks left so my minor symptoms would be fatigue, hunger pains, jumbo swelling face….you know the drill with the last couple of weeks lol

Nursery: There isn't going to be a new nursery.  We plan on having Dutch and Teeny Peep share a room.  It's not that we don't have the space; we do have another bedroom, but we would like our kiddos to share a room when they are younger.  We're thinking this will be a great opportunity to continue building character with our children.  And to be honest, Dutch didn't move into his nursery until he was eight months old, and even then only for a few hours a day until he was 11 months old, so the new baby will probably stay in our room about the same amount of time and then we will do a transition of some sort.  Of course we don't know what it is like to have two children and exactly what it will be like, but this is how we think we are going to try to start.

Emotions: I’m teetering between excitement and embracing the now.  I’m one of those women that absolutely love being pregnant.  I love having my babies so close to me, and embracing this special chapter of growing a human.  So I’m sad that that phase will be over soon, as well as moving on from the family of 3 chapter, but I’m trying to embrace and celebrate all of these moments while they’re still here.  However, I would be completely lying if I didn’t admit that I’m very much looking forward to meeting and holding my baby girl.

I'm Embarrased to Blog This: Laundry Buddies

I wanted to make this a "What I'm Lovin' Wednesday" post, but I'm too embarrassed.

I'm also in denial. I've been thinking of blogging about this for several months now but I just couldn't bring myself to do it.  Why would anyone WANT to write about this?!  But seriously, if I’m being authentic with you, I do this so many times a week around our house with such pride, I just have to share it with you, even if this screams MOOOOOOOOOOOM!  ....... Y’all, I have laundry secrets! ........ I'm going to share them with you! ........ If you're a mom, especially to boys, you NEED these two products. Boys are sooooooooo dirty. Boys (and their daddies hehe) eat messy and they play hard.  Since I am trying to preserve our kid clothes for as long as possible, I do everything in my power to keep them free of stains. So here enters the two most used products in my home per week:

  Shout Advanced ~ Oxiclean   You don’t need to get your eyes checked.  You’re seeing that correctly. I abuse these laundry buddies of mine more than I can admit.  At the end of everyday, I take all of Dutch’s clothes with stains (which is almost every article of clothing), and spray it with Shout Advanced.  I rub the spray into the fabric, and let it sit on the washer over night.  The next day, or at least every other day, I will throw the clothes into the wash with a fourth of a scoop of the Oxiclean Stain Remover and my regular laundry detergent.  When the wash is over I assess the clothes.  If the stain is still present, which rarely happens but does on occasion, then I repeat everything so far.  If the stain is gone then I will put it through the dryer.  If a stain goes through the dryer, it is VERY tough to get out, and sometimes it is there for good.  I have been using this laundry system, for our clothes (NOT our cloth diapers) for about 8 months now and I have removed every single stain, including crude oil! I’m so amazed by my efficient laundry buddies and get so excited when I kick some stain’s booty.  There have been several occasions when the Mr. has called on his way home telling me that he has a surprise for me, and when he gets home it’s a laundry project.  YES! I’m actually excited about it (see this is the embarrassing part!), but I thrive on the challenge that is really so easy for me with these two products. Lame? Yes! Efficient? You bet! So if you’re a new mama, get these two.  You can thank my weird obsession with clean clothes later ;-)

    And just for the record, this is NOT a sponsored post but it totally should be.  Shout or Oxiclean, if you want to pay me I’m down with it!

Teeny Peep Maternity Pictures

When I was pregnant with Dutch, we had some amazing maternity pictures taken by the fabulous Grace Hill Photography.  We knew this time around that she would be the most perfect photographer to capture this growing chapter in our family’s life, and, y’all, she did not disappoint.  Goodness this woman is talented.  Whenever she sends me pictures I’m a total sappy cry baby.  I’m always so grateful to her for visually capturing these special moments in time.  I am in love with these pictures!  Go check out more of her work here!

Thank you Grace Hill Photography!!!!!!!!! There is no way that I could pick a favorite!

Teeny Peep Bumpdate- Week 37

Bumpdate with Dutch at 37 weeks

Date: 1/2/16
How far along: 37 weeks
Fruit-size comparison: A winter melon (whatever that is, I know it’s large just by looking at the size of my stomach)
Developmental milestones: Major brain and lung development in the next couple of weeks.  This is major and I want her to get all that she can while she’s in the womb.  Teeny Peep is practicing her inhaling, exhaling, blinking, gripping, & sucking.
Maternity clothes:  I’m starting to outgrow my maternity jeans….or starting to fit I should really say since I bought them on the larger size.
Weight gain: +21 lbs
Stretch Marks: I've got plenty of kisses from heaven from carrying Dutch.  I applied lotions and such daily with that pregnancy, but to be honest I don't think I'm even going to try to prevent future stretch  marks.  I absolutely love these badges of honor and I'm so proud to wear them.
Sleep: I love it and I’m trying to get as much as I can because I know that it will be about a year before I get good sleep again.
Best moment of the week: Woah! I have been a crazy nesting mama this week.  I’ve been going through the lists that I wrote when I was pregnant with Dutch and from right after I had him to make sure I have everything I will need for a newborn and for a postpartum mama.  I don’t know if those lists have helped anyone else, but they are certainly helping me now!  (If you’re new around here, check out the Little Peep tab at the top for a bunch of prep lists).  I’ve taken several trips to Babies ‘R Us and ordered so many things from Etsy and Amazon.  I’d say that I’m on my way to feeling ready to bring this precious one home!
Movement: I can tell that she is running out of room and her movements are very squished and muted.  She’s still active, just lacks room.
Cravings: Nothing that I can think of here.  I do just like to eat in general.
Gender: Baby girl!!
Belly button: I love my new outtie :-) 
Wedding Ring: On
Anything making you queasy/sick: Nope thank goodness!
What I miss: Sushi 
What I’m looking forward to: I’m almost done with my to do lists.  I will be really excited to say that “I’m ready” (ya know, as ready as you can be to have a new baby lol) for her arrival.  I have 3 more packages I’m waiting for to arrive and then I will do my last load of baby prep laundry and we’re ready to bring this little girl home :-)
Labor signs: Woah contractions are officially here!  They are not too uncomfortable and certainly not predictable but they are definitely noticeable.  I’m still walking and talking through them, so I’m just praying they’re doing what they are supposed to be doing.  With Dutch I was in early labor for 3 weeks before his arrival, I’m hoping that early labor doesn’t last as long with Teeny Peep.
Symptoms: I really cannot complain: I am so BLESSED to have had another easy pregnancy.  I only have a few weeks left so my minor symptoms would be fatigue, hunger pains, jumbo swelling face….you know the drill with the last couple of weeks lol
Nursery: There isn't going to be a new nursery.  We plan on having Dutch and Teeny Peep share a room.  It's not that we don't have the space; we do have another bedroom, but we would like our kiddos to share a room when they are younger.  We're thinking this will be a great opportunity to continue building character with our children.  And to be honest, Dutch didn't move into his nursery until he was eight months old, and even then only for a few hours a day until he was 11 months old, so the new baby will probably stay in our room about the same amount of time and then we will do a transition of some sort.  Of course we don't know what it is like to have two children and exactly what it will be like, but this is how we think we are going to try to start.
Emotions: I’m in a really weird place right now between extreme exhaustion and insane nesting and list tackling.  I’m so motivated and productive that I’m getting so many things crossed off all of my lists, which is awesome and is starting to make me feel so ready for her arrival.  But then, on the other side of this coin, I’m totally mentally and physically exhausted.  I know that with her arrival I’m only going to be more tired so I need to make sure that I’m resting as much as I can.

Getting Ready for Baby

As I’m sure you know, we’re busy getting ready for Teeny Peep's arrival around here and I’ve done everything I can think of to do to get our home and family ready for her debut.  I have lost my toes, packed our hospital bags, documented the bump growth, sterilized pump parts and bottles, washed new clothes, swaddles, sheets, etc., bought a new car seat and all the new gear we'll need for 2 babies in the house, reread all of my birthing books, pulled out the older baby gear to help get Dutch used to the baby equipment………

Today, I thought I would round up some previous posts about baby prep that I’ve written.  But I also wanted to add my amendments to these posts since having a baby AND add to them the things we have done to try and prepare our toddler to be a big brother.   I think this update and roundup would probably be beneficial for first-time mamas as well as mamas adding to her chicks.
To start, I posted this picture over the weekend to Instagram and Facebook that we were packed & I wanted to share these packing updates with you. 

Hospital Bags

I remember that I over-packed for the hospital in preparation for Dutch's arrival, but I would not changed a thing about that.  I'm glad that I felt more than prepared for our time at the hospital.  This time I have packed everything on this list, but I have also done a few things differently.
 Amendments: Last time I packed labor and postpartum stuff together, but this time I made sure that they were in different bags.  Even though I like to labor at home I still have corralled everything into a central location and bag so that I know where everything is for the big day. 

-In my labor bag I still have everything on the original list (e.g. my scripture cards, birth plan, hair ties, etc.), but I have also added my essential oils (lavender, clary sage, peppermint, en-r-gee, joy, ylang ylang, frankincense, peace & calming, stress away, gentle baby, & valor), my Gentle Babies book, my extra diffuser, and my rice socks & tennis ball socks for pain management.

-In my postpartum bag I have also added my baby wrap so that I can wear Teeny Peep in the hospital, my mothers milk tea so that I can start drinking that right away, and a special new robe.

-For daddy’s bag I have also added sweat pants (because he froze the last time we were in the hospital- oops sorry my love!) and some more organic snacks for the hospital.  I also put a post-it note on top of daddy’s bag of the last minute items for him to grab before we leave (e.g. phone chargers, camera, wallets, etc.).

-For the new baby bag, I didn’t remove anything that I packed last time, but I have added special little girl hats and headbands, a natural pacifier, the outfit that big brother picked out for her, a couple gifts for big brother from baby sister when he comes to meet his sister in the hospital (and for entertainment if he is not interested in her at all), little sister’s matching shirt for meeting big brother, a winter hat for going home, and her “just born” sticker for tracking those milestones like we did with big brother.  I also washed the car seat cover, added the infant head support, added the completed car seat safety information sheet to the car seat, and the winter car seat cover in case the only day in Houston that it’s cold is the day we’re leaving the hospital. 

-This time I also needed to pack a big sibling bag for Dutch to have while we’re in the hospital, and in this bag there is a plan with emergency numbers for while we’re gone, a matching shirt for when he comes to meet his sister, diapers, jammies, his special bear (I have three copies of his bear in case one gets lost that I rotate so that they’re equally “loved” so I can easily pack one without having to worry about forgetting it on labor day), bottles, outfits, shoes, & socks.

    Newborn Must-Haves   (And new big brother, must-haves!)
Amendments: In addition to making sure ALL of these things were stocked and organized for Teeny Peep's arrival, I wanted to make sure that I did everything I could think of to make sure that Dutch's transition to big brother would be smooth, so in addition to this list, I have pulled out the baby gear a month early so that he could play with it and explore it.  I don't want him exploring or moving the swing like an amusement park ride as soon as the new baby gets home; instead we did that already so it's boring now lol  We've also been reading lots of big brother books (our favorites are: I'm a Big Brother & God Gave Us Two), talking about the baby (e.g. where she is, where she will sleep, what her name is, etc.) I also purchased two more packs of multipurpose pads (#17) and two more ultimate crib sheets.  Both of these are life savers for blow outs.   *Since initially writing this post & the arrival of Baby #2, I wrote a new Newborn Must-Haves list with a few more items, that you can check out here*     Mama Postpartum Must-Haves Amendments: To this list, I have not just sterilized pump parts but I have gone ahead and set up my pumping station for when we get home, organized all baby & nursing products in the closet, ordered and prepared for upcoming holidays (Valentine’s Day and Easter), and purchased more freezer bags for breast milk.     Packing an Infant Diaper Bag  (that is also prepared for a toddler) Now of course I wont take this with me to the hospital but I wanted it packed and ready for our first debut out of the house, which will probably be a pediatrician appointment and will already be crazy enough getting two babies ready so I don't want to be worried about what I should pack.  I wanted it done. Amendments: To what I have already listed, I have also added extra toddler and infant clothes, toddler snacks, infant and toddler diapers (we use adjustable cloth diapers) and a larger wet bag, entertainment toys (I keep toys in my diaper bag that are only played with when we are out so that they stay novel), homemade bug spray, thieves spray, & baby hand sanitizer.

The Nursery

Amendments: We want our kids to share a room, so there wasn't too much to do differently to the nursery since Dutch is still so young; however, we did add a scripture verse for baby girl to the decor and  a small rack to hang her hair bows.   I don’t know if the posts I’ve written before have helped any other new mamas, but they have certainly helped me get ready this time.  It was like I already had a pre-made list to refer to that helped me get organized and know where to start (they also jogged my brain as to what it's like to have a newborn in the house lol).  Since crossing off everything on these lists, including the additions, I can honestly say that I feel as ready as I can feel to bring another baby home.  Baby girl, we are ready for your debut!     Good luck mamas as you get ready!  If you’re new around here, I have some other getting ready lists at the top under the Little Peep tab.  If you think of something else I need to do please let me know :-)  

The *Perfect* Chicken Soup

Perfect for kids. Perfect for adults. Perfect for cooler days. Perfect for upset tummies. Perfect for a drop-off for a friend. Perfect for cooking connoisseurs. Perfect for the novice chef....or those that don't like to follow a lot of directions. Perfect for tight wallets. Perfect for easy fixin'. Perfect for when you don't have any time. Perfect for full flavor. Perfect for your waist line. ......need I saw more?  Clearly this is the most perfect recipe ever.   Seriously there are two steps to this recipe, and anyone can do them both.  I LOVE this soup and it's so scrumptious.  Please add this to your list of to dos for this week; you wont regret it!

 

Ingredients: 1 medium to large onion, diced 4 stalks of celery, chopped 8 oz mushrooms, sliced 5 garlic cloves, minced 1 cup whole grain wild rice, uncooked 2 lbs chicken tenders (you could also use thighs), cut into bite sized pieces 2 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper 8 cups chicken broth (or I actually do 8 cups water and 8 sodium free boullion cubes) 1 cup heavy cream  toast or bread (optional for serving) Directions: 1. Dump everything, except the cream, into a crock pot (or the stove top) and cook on low for 5 hours. 2. Add cream, and serve. Don't forget the bread & butter on the side ;-) 3. Enjoy!

 credit

Teeny Peep Bumpdate- Week 36

Bumpdate with Dutch at 36 weeks

Date: 12/26/15
How far along: 36 weeks
Fruit-size comparison: A honeydew melon....a melon folks, a melon lol
Developmental milestones: Teeny Peep is so close to being able to breath on her own, and I'm looking forward to getting to that milestone next week with the "full-term" label.  Her skin is getting smoother, her liver, kidneys, circulatory and immune systems are all up and running.
Maternity clothes: Oh yes, and sometimes my belly pokes out of the bottom of my shirts.  It's really fashionable I tell ya lol  Dutch loves to point out when my belly is showing by pointing and saying "baby".  Thankfully this hasn't happened (in public) that much lol
Weight gain: +20 lbs, While I have gained far less weight with this pregnancy, I am definitely larger; my belly is poking out pretty far.  My stretch marks are beginning to extend above my belly button now.
Stretch Marks: I've got plenty of kisses from heaven from carrying Dutch.  I applied lotions and such daily with that pregnancy, but to be honest I don't think I'm even going to try to prevent future stretch  marks.  I absolutely love these badges of honor and I'm so proud to wear them.
Sleep: I can't get enough!  I've been just crashing every afternoon.  I'm not a napper but I am desperate for extra sleep since I'm so far along, chasing a 1 year old, and sick.
Best moment of the week: 1- By far the best part of our week was Christmas.  It was completely different from last year with a 6 month old, and I know that it will be complete different from next year.  It was like a blink in time that we will never have again and we embraced it.  The Mr. was home for a few days and we had so much fun watching Dutch discover all of the fun moments of Christmas; definitely tough to see the end of this season.  2- In passing I mentioned that it would be nice to have different closet doors in the guest room for Teeny Peep.  Well that was all it took for the Mr. to start DIY-ing while I was taking a nap on Christmas Eve.  He did such a great job and it looks so great.  I know she is going to love it as much as I do. 3- The Mr. and I also celebrated our 8 year wedding anniversary.  How has it already been 8 years?! 4- We had an appointment to check on Teeny Peep.  We’ve only had one ultrasound with her, which is very different than with my pregnancy with Dutch where I had so many more.  I was really looking forward to seeing her face since she wouldn’t share with us at 21 weeks, but she kept her arms up again this time.  I guess she wants to keep her face a surprise for us.  She’s about 6 lbs 5 oz right now and will likely be about 7-8lbs when she arrives.  She has a smaller head but really long legs…….I wonder where she gets those from? ;-) Her heartrate was 134, she’s still head down with her face already towards my spine.  Please stay this way little girl!  She’s measuring about 1 day ahead of schedule so everything looks great.  I gained 1 lb, and my bp was 116/70.  My amniotic fluid was a little bit lower but nothing to worry about.  I endured the lovely GBS test and was assessed for dilation.  It was a busy but great appointment.
Movement: Yep I still have a lot a movement.  Her movements are alien-like, where you can see and feel specific body parts on the outside of my stomach.  I never felt movements like this with Dutch so this is pretty cool to see and feel.  I sure am going to miss these special times when it's just Teeny Peep and me.
Cravings: Nothing that I can think of here.  I do just like to eat in general.
Gender: Baby girl!!
Belly button: I love my new outtie :-) 
Wedding Ring: On
Anything making you queasy/sick: Not that I can think of; it probably helps that I am so stuffy that I can't smell anything.
What I miss: Sushi
What I’m looking forward to: Not hacking up my lungs every 5 minutes.  This week Dutch and I have been so sick (again).  I have even envied the meds he can take because he isn't pregnant (seeeeee, so very sick!).  Again being this preggo is so embarrassing every time I cough or sneeze.  I'm so tired, sick, and want to taste food again!
Labor signs: I’m still having contractions mostly in the evenings, but nothing intense or predictable.  Teeny Peep is getting lower and lower, which although it’s uncomfortable makes me very happy.  I’ve started drinking my raspberry leaf tea & eating dates.
Symptoms:  I have reached the point where I can tell people, especially women, feel sorry for me.  Women look at me and just have this look of pity on their faces.  Just this past week, we were out to dinner and were about to leave when I went to the bathroom just to be sure I was good for the drive home.  All 5 women in line insisted that I go ahead of them- as if my bladder just might explode on the bathroom floor right there lol I’m still pretty hot; if you ask me it’s still summer in my incubator and puffy-faced world.  My hips are still moving and my heartburn has chilled out.  I continue to waddle, am easily worn out, and generally uncomfortable but mostly in the evenings. 
Nursery: There isn't going to be a new nursery.  We plan on having Dutch and Teeny Peep share a room.  It's not that we don't have the space; we do have another bedroom, but we would like our kiddos to share a room when they are younger.  We're thinking this will be a great opportunity to continue building character with our children.  And to be honest, Dutch didn't move into his nursery until he was eight months old, and even then only for a few hours a day until he was 11 months old, so the new baby will probably stay in our room about the same amount of time and then we will do a transition of some sort.  Of course we don't know what it is like to have two children and exactly what it will be like, but this is how we think we are going to try to start.
Emotions: I am really excited about this new baby, please don't take what I'm about to say as taking away from that at all, but I feel like I have entered into a phase of mourning.  I'm trying to cherish these last few weeks where it is just me and Dutch.  Not because I'm nervous about juggling two babies (of course I am!), but more so because it has been just us two for a year and a half and the end of that chapter is approaching.  I know that new fun chapters are ahead of us, obviously, but I am still sad to see this one come to an end.  I'm trying to make it the most fun we've ever had and that he knows mama loves him so much and every day that he has been in my life has been the best day of my life. I can't imagine my world without him in it.  Dutch, the pure joy you bring to your mama's heart is more amazing than words in any language could express.  I love you little boy!

Tis the Season- Christmas 2015

I guess it’s about time for me to share our Christmas with you.  It was a perfectly slow Christmas.  We couldn’t fly home this year because I am the size of a house and would be too much weight for a plane (hahahahahahaha j/k).  But for reals, it’s too late in the pregnancy for me to travel, so we stayed in Texas and while of course we missed our families it was wonderful.  Dutch and I ended up getting sick the week before Christmas and it lasted until the week after Christmas, so it was nice to not have to do anything or be anywhere.  The week of Christmas Dutch & I made a bunch of cookies and just stayed in jammies all day watching Christmas movies and wrapping presents.  We went to see Santa Clause, did some art projects, and built 2 gingerbread houses (which, my friends is way tougher than it looks; I will need at least a year to recover from this project lol).  The anticipation of Christmas is just as fun as Christmas itself.  We enjoyed seeing Christmas through Dutch’s eyes this year with such naive excitement with putting up Christmas lights, playing hide and go seek with Sheldon (our Elf on the Shelf), decorating (and redecorating the Christmas tree), and watching all of the fun Christmas movies.

Dutch last year with Santa (6 months old) vs this year with Santa (18 months old)

The Mr. had Christmas Eve and Christmas off of work so having him home was spectacular.  On Christmas Eve we went to the park in the morning to play, and then went to church for Christmas Eve service.  Of course I balled my eyes out with the candle light version of Silent Night.  Doesn’t everyone do that?!  After church we got coffee and drove around looking at Christmas lights before heading to dinner.  When we got home, we made sure to leave cookies out for Santa….and dog treats for the reindeer (hehehe).

Christmas day we had a breakfast casserole and monkey bread, read the Christmas story from Luke, and sang Happy Birthday to Jesus before opening gifts, and then headed over to our besties house for Christmas dinner and games.  We didn’t finish opening gifts at home….well to be honest there are still 4 that are still wrapped.  It wasn’t that we received so many gifts or that we’re not grateful, so much as we have just been so sick and lacked the energy.  Dutch received several books, clothes (which mama and daddy were very grateful for), an airplane, a car, a dump truck, letters for the bathtub, a stuffed bunny and blanket, new crayons (that hopefully he wont eat this time), a 2015 ornament, & a horse with a cowboy hat. 

Even our Teeny Peep received gifts this Christmas!

Despite being so sick it really was the perfect Christmas.  The Mr. and I just loved to see Christmas through Dutch’s eyes with all of the novel excitement.  This Christmas was very different from last Christmas with a tiny infant, but it will also be very different compared to Christmas next year with a 2 year old and a 1 year old.  Of course we are looking forward to what that will be like, but this Christmas we just chose to embrace the chapter we are living in right now and it was magical.

Friends, I truly hope that your Christmas was filled with as much sparkle as ours was.

Merry Christmas!