Christmas 2012

This is likely be my last post until Natalie makes her arrival. I have just over a month to get my classroom ready for 10 weeks of a sub. I have mostly taken care of things in the house. Last week I did realize I was missing a few things, but nothing too important....a baby book and swaddling blankets. I have diapers. What else does the third child need anyway?! I have very much enjoyed my two-week break from school, which has given me some time to rest. Once I get back to working all day,  have just enough energy to feed/bathe/bed the kids before I collapse.

 

We had a great Christmas. The kids got much more than the needed or deserved. Steve and I enjoyed all of the family visits. Tyler and Helen had some vehicle issues that was a major bummer for them, but it gave us the chance to see them for more time than we were expecting. William and Lucy even had their first sleepover at our house. Steve was able to take a couple of extra days off to spend with us. I left the kids in daycare part time, which helped keep us all sane. Charlie has entered the Terrible Twos, so I will take any break I can get. So far, his Twos are nothing like Madeleine's were. I hope that contiues! I did not do Christmas cards this year, so don't feel like I left you out. I thought about New Year's cards, but I don't see that happening. There will be birth announcements soon enough!

 

 

 

Charlie 'playing' video games. He loves all things boy, including things with wheels, jumping, hitting, and belching.

I'm reluctant to post pics of myself, but here I am with Charlie on the Little Toot. It is a steam engine in Flora. They put up lights and take you on rides through the park. It is a yearly tradition.

Here is Miss Photogenic on the train. We took her in hopes that she would talk to Santa, but she started feeling bashful as we approached the park. Santa did talk to her, which she thought was pretty awesome!

This is Baby Natalie's bump at 32 or 33 weeks. I don't think the shirt really does it justice. She is low, low, low, and making pretty much everything difficult. At last week's ultrasound they estimate her to be around 5 pounds and 6 ounces, which is average for this week of pregnancy. That puts her on track to be around 8 pounds on her due date, which is 4.5 weeks away. Maddie was 8 pounds and 1 ounce. Charlie was 8 pounds and 14 ounces. I feel like she weighs 20!

This is one of the top activities of our household. Line up a bunch of chairs, baskets, toys, and then climb and jump off of them.

Here is Maddie mid-flight. I made the mistake of getting them different chairs for Christmas, so we have even better things to jump onto.

Maddie is camera shy. This one is not!

 

Here are the kids on Christmas morning in their new beanbag chairs. Santa brought Maddie exactly what she wanted, which was a Barbie Princess Castle. Charlie got a race track, but he was more worried about eating breakfast than opening presents. I don't blame him one bit!

 

Here is Steve shoveling the sidewalk after Blizzard 2012. What a doozy! :) This was Charlie's first time in the snow and he wasn't impressed. Of course, he had on so many layers he couldn't really move his arms. His parents are too cheap to buy a full-price snowsuit, so he will have to wait until next year.

 

Here is our very pathetic snowman. To be fair, I can't bend down/over very easily. I also HATE snow. I probably haven't gone out into the snow in 10 years, other than to walk to somewhere else. I have no snow clothes for non-pregnant me, nevermind 9 months pregnant me. Maddie couldn't not understand why I was miserable because she and her dad love it. I think Charlie was on my side of the argument. The snowman's mouth melted and left him looking like he had just eaten a squirrel and let the blood run down his chin. I gave it an effort anyway!

Here are the dogs enjoying a romp in the snow. Polly loved it. She especially seemed to enjoy chasing the sled down the hill.

 

 

Maddie and Charlie going down the hill together. Polly is ready to chase!

If you click on this picture it will come up a bit bigger. You can see Maddie's absolute joy. I think Charlie was covered in half-frozen snot from crying. A day later we went to my mom's where Kevin pulled the kids on a sled behind he mower. I don't know if I have ever seen Maddie happier. She didn't even care that her clothes were soaked by the end of it! Steve is already trying to figure out how to get her on skis before winter is over.

 

I apologize for what I am sure are plenty of typos. Charlie has been climbing me the entire time I typed. Maddie is asking 1000 questions. Now it is time for dinner and I don't have the patience to proofread! My need for perfection has been flushed down the toilet in the last 4 years of my life....and I'm okay with that!