Merry Christmas!

My beautiful little girl before going to church on Christmas Eve.

We got Emma some light up balls for her stocking.  She loved playing with them!

Visiting Papa for lunch on Christmas.

So I had an appointment to get my hair highlighted before Christmas and cancelled it for a couple of reasons... looking at this photo I really wish I hadn't!  Emma's mama is a brunette.  And not a hot buxom brunette... just a dirty washed out one.  Sigh... I'll have to keep her close.  If people notice how cute she is they won't notice my lack of well... everything (except for a beautiful baby bump- I DO have one of those!)... right?

It's always a running joke that kids like the boxes better than the presents themselves.  While she did love quite a few of her presents, she was disinterested in clothes and preferred opening and crawling around the gift boxes.

 

 



This has been a lonely and busy week for us.  Zack (who is supposed to be on an easy rotation) has been at the hospital daily, beginning at or before 5am only to stay until well into the night.  He left this morning before 5 and still isn't home yet at 9:40pm. Sigh... It's been a long hard week for him and a lonely one for us.  When you go to the hospital, especially on a holiday, please remember to thank your doctor for being there.  Remember that he's probably been there literally all day long (with or without eating a meal), and that he's at the hospital on Christmas day to take care of you while leaving his family at home.  I'm not bellyaching (although it sounds that way, doesn't it!).  I just hope for more people to be kinder and more appreciative of what doctors do to care for their patients.

Emma and I went to church on Christmas Eve (yet another one!) and then again on Christmas day (to one we've been to before).  She's getting wiggly enough at church that I may have to go to one that's down the road that offers a children's room during services so she can play while I'm in church.  I want her with me, but also don't want her (or me!) to be miserable during the service.  Hmmmm... something to think about.  We took Zack lunch at work both days, which was fun for us.  It's nice to be able to see him a little bit during the day, when possible.  On Christmas the only place available was a Chinese restaurant that was awfullllllllll and expensive!  How disappointing...  At least the company was good!

We opened our stockings Christmas Eve night after Zack got home from work (it was an "early" night and he got home a little after 6pm).  Then on Christmas day he was able to come home at about 6 again, so we opened presents before going to bed.  Emma loved it! 

I truly hope everyone has had a very Merry Christmas.  Ours was warm (50 degrees) and certainly not a white Christmas, but it was beautiful nonetheless.  We've so much to be thankful for.

Ladies Weekend Out

We were blowing bubbles in the pool.

Not sure why we both had silly faces... but it made me laugh!

Gwen's first photo bomb...

We got to bring Papa some lunch to work today.

Emma LOVES the elevator!

 

 

 

Emma and I had a wonderful mini vacation to Cincinnati this weekend to visit with MawMaw.  We met at a hotel and enjoyed the pool and a lot of play and relax time.  It was fabulous!  Emma loves to swim in the pool and had a ton of fun blowing bubbles in the water.  She also discovered the elevator during this trip (I always take the stairs when we go places) and got a real kick out of pressing the buttons to go up and down.  Too cute!

 

Today we were able to take Zack lunch into work.  It was nice for Emma to be able to see Papa after some time apart.  He's her favorite person.

 

Tonight Emma and I went on a walk with our neighbor to the park and had fun playing there on the equipment.  It was almost fifty degrees out today.  So warm!

 

Only a few more days until Christmas... whew.  Times goes by so quickly!  A friend of mine here told me about this article (http://gospelcenteredmom.blogspot.com/ - the Santa article, a few posts down currently) which I thought was great to read.  I have been telling everyone that this is my last year of putting my presents under the tree (one, because Santa will start coming next year and Emma might understand who he is by that point and two, because Emma already wants to open the presents and next year I know there's no keeping her out of them!).  I was having a tough time this year thinking about preparing for next year and how to tell Emma about Santa because Santa is FUN and comes to celebrate baby Jesus and is FUN (did I say that already?)!  I LOVED the anticipation of waking up Christmas morning to find the tree full of presents.  I want that for her as well... and she shall have it!  But I also hate the thought of Emma eventually finding out that Santa isn't real (sorry to anyone reading who I just squelched your dreams!) and then thinking about what else I've lied to her about.  I figure, we will continue to read our Christmas books and have the Christmas morning surprise (because who doesn't love anticipation and a good surprise?), but when she asks Santa questions I'll be honest with her about it.  Hmmmm... lots to think about over the next year!  Any ideas from anyone else?  Yes for Santa? No for Santa?  A mix of both?

Busy Bees

Cheeeeeeeeeeeeeese!  Not super flattering, but hey- at least she's in focus.

 

Busy, busy, busy...

 

 



Twinkle Toes

Just look at those sweet little ballet feet...

"Ummmmm... Mama?  What is this thing?"

At the library after dance class.

 

I have been baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad about updating the blog.  My apologies.

 

We've had a very busy week!  We had Emma's 18 month appointment this week at which she got the last of her shots for a long time (whew!).  She's measuring well- (23lbs 6 oz-64th percentile, 30.5" long- 20th percentile) and Dr. Boarman is happy with her.  We have a healthy little girl!

 

We also had an OB visit this week (after the new year they'll come with more frequency). Gwen's heart sounded nice and Zack was able to go and hear her "live" which was fun.  It was great to have him there for the first time.

 

Today was a busy, fun day.  Emma had her first dance class today.  There is a local dance studio that offers free "Mommy and Me" dance classes for little ones 1.5-2 years old.  Emma loved it!  By the end of the class she was tapping her toes and trying to jump.  It was really, really cute.  Unfortunately, it was the last class they're going to have for a while due to the holidays.  They usually don't resume until spring, but the teacher said today that they're thinking of beginning again in January.  I really hope they do! I can tell already that dance is something that Emma will enjoy.  I'm working on saving now to be able to put her into class once she's old enough.  Hopefully it'll foster a good active lifestyle for her.

 

Tonight we went to a Christmas party with some of the people from the Shriner's hospital.  It was fun.  Emma had a good time running around and socializing and did a great job of running to the potty periodically when she had to go (only one slightly wet dipe- and that was after a long wait to go while eating dinner).  Good job, baby girl!