Christmas Mental Memories

Okay, I can honestly say that I was not very good about getting the camera out at Christmas this year. I was caught up in family time and my gut reaction wasn't to grab the camera every time....hopefully I don't regret that someday, but here are some of my mental memories....

Skyping with Auntie Alyse, Uncle Robert and Grandma/Grandpa Johnson so that they could see Emily open their gifts. Technology is truly amazing. She was excited to see them and I'm pretty sure it was special for them to be able to see her too. She had so much fun running around the living room for them.

iChatting with Grandma and Grandpa Sewell because Emily wanted to see them. So, she showed them what Santa brought her---a new baby crib. She dropped the baby when "waking her up" and came running to me with the doll and asked for "tylenol in the mouth." She was obviously concerned that the baby was hurt.

Watching this girl open gifts was so fun. I really didn't think she would be as into it as she was. We had to let her open our gifts too to satisfy her need of opening more gifts!

Emily LOVED playing with her cousins Haley and Lexi. She followed them wherever they went. They played gator golf together, colored together, ate together, watched a Christmas show together, hugged each other, laughed with each other and even cried with each other....(you know, when one of them would "steal" something from the other or color on top of the other's picture or just plain old tired) It was fun to see how much they have all changed from our last Christmas gathering. Hard to believe we'll have another addition next year!

Last Disney Day

Last weekend was our last visit to Disneyland until Kinley is born. We don't plan to renew right away, but we do look forward to visiting Disneyland again. The hardest part about not renewing right now is how much Emily loves Disneyland. We had lots of rain last weekend, but we decided that if it cleared up enough we would run out there. Sure enough it stopped and although we were there for only a couple of hours, it was one of the BEST visits we have ever had. As soon as we walked into the park, Minnie was there to greet friends. Emily LOVES Minnie, but we didn't know how she would react because she was really bashful in line, but as soon as it was her turn....well, you can see for yourself...

Move on over Santa....

Make way for the Pacifier Fairy! I think I can count on two hands the amount of times that I have actually slept through the night in the past two years (longer if you count pregnancy). I will definitely say that Brian and I are at fault to a certain degree to how much we have babied Emily. We were so proud of ourselves for getting her off the pacifier except for naptime and bedtime WELL OVER a year ago.; however, we never really let her cry it out if it fell out in the middle of the night. As two full-time workers, we never really felt the desire to let her cry it out because we figured that meant more dramatic sleepless nights and we just never felt like it was that big of a deal. Well, I AM OVER IT. Since she is in the toddler bed we are getting even less sleep because if she loses the pacifier, she'll just walk into our room and turn the lights on. This is not working for this 32 week pregnant woman. I'm exhausted.

Last night we tried to get her to go to bed without the pacifier and she actually did really well, but she came into our room four times asking for it. We didn't let her have it, but she is resourceful and did find it on her own. So, this afternoon before naptime we took some time and made a box to send to the Pacifier Fairy. The fairy's desire is to collect pacifiers from all the big boys and girls and give them to the babies that cry. So, sure enough, the Pacifier Fairy came during Emily's nap. Here are pictures and videos of the big event...

My little nurturer

Emily has been very nurturing to her baby and other toys lately.  We'll often hear her say "it's okay" while both arms are wrapped tightly around one of her toys.  Last night, I walked into the room and I could see that she was rocking and as I listened closely, I heard her singing "Jesus, Kinley the Bible tells me so."  You see, not only do we sing Jesus Loves Me to her before she goes to bed, but we sing it to her whenever she is crying or in distress.  Apparently, Felipe (one of handy manny's toys) was crying and she needed to comfort him....

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day was spent very different for me this year than in any year past. My parents and my sister and her family were basically all sick (not knowing exactly what it might be, but fevers were involved) and since I'm 7 months pregnant and I have a 2 year old, I didn't figure it was in my family's best interest to spend the day with my family.

(VERY hard decision to make...tears were shed)

So, what do you do if you can't spend the day with your family? You go over to your friends' home who are just like family! Emily LOVES her little boyfriend Oliver. We enjoy speculating what it would be like if they fell in love when they get older...

Here are a few pictures and a video of the day. Brian took Emily to the park and when she came home I was busy stirring the sweet potatoes for the casserole. Sure enough, she started shouting "Stir, stir!" Oliver assisted her by pulling a chair to the island and they both took turns stirring. Toward the end of dinner, someone put a napkin on Oliver's back and he became Superman, not to be outdone, Emily wanted one too and became Superwoman. In the video, the very first thing she says is "superwoman."

**I realize one of the pictures is super blurry, but you have to understand how much these kids love each other. They kept hugging one another---so quickly that all I got was a fuzzy picture!

My baby

I realized today just how thankful I am for my sweet family.  Emily had a tough time going down for a nap today, so I was rocking her and it was like Kinley was trying to calm her down too.  I just felt all of these arm extensions along my belly and was overcome with emotion.  There I was as a mommy of two (sorta).  

Then I realized how little I have blogged about Kinley and since the purpose of this blog is for me to have a journal keepsake, I figured I should update a blog about my baby.  

I'm frequently asked, "how are you doing/feeling?"  I don't know if it's just the obvious question to ask since I am "huge" or if people really do want to know, so here ya go....Overall, I feel pretty good.  With Emily I worked out like a champ EVERY day unless I was too sick to, but I would either go to the gym or take a nature walk.  With Kinley, my exercise is taking care of Emily or parking far away to walk to the store.  ha-ha.  Since the last weekend of October I have been in pretty steady discomfort in my thighs and back.  I didn't have this with Emily at all.  I talked with my doctor and he said it is very common in your 2nd pregnancy for your body to prepare early for labor.  He also gave me the news that unfortunately it won't get better.  I'm supposed to not lift Emily as often (you tell that to a tantrum throwing 2 year old) and take it easy (how exactly do you do that working full-time, 7 months pregnant while taking care of a two year old?)  My neck and shoulders are really feeling the weight as well and can cause some pretty good tension...Thankfully, that's it---that's all I really have to complain about.  

I still love being pregnant even though I think I could win a waddling competition in the pregnancy olympics.  It's amazing to feel this sweet little girl inside kicking and stretching and rolling.  I daydream about what it will be like to see her and see who she looks like.  I wonder if she'll look just like Emily or if she'll surprise us all and be completely different.  Emily had lots of hair and it was dark, will Kinley?  Will my little girls have a bond from the beginning? etc... 

Emily has been giving hugs and kisses to Kinley before going to bed and it's just so sweet.  

Kinley, you are such a little miracle to us.  I can't wait to snuggle with you.  

Precious moments..

I know I have blogged before about how special "night-night" time can be with Emily. She's been really good about going night-night ever since she was a baby. The process leading up to the "tuck in" has changed throughout the two years and I have to say that although I miss the snuggle time, singing and praying together has become more and more special.

Please don't judge me for seeing a pacifier in her mouth---I know she's getting older. She only "needs" it at bedtime and we're working on eliminating that too. Anyway, this is a very precious moment between the "three" of us since she demanded that we sing, "Yes, Jesus loves Kinley." Almost made me cry...