Christmas Tour: Countdowns, Plate, and Tiles

Paul David and I have two countdowns going this year. The top one is our new one that my Mother bought me. You put something in each box each day. Paul David LOVES this one...of course he gets gummy fish, suckers, M&M's, etc. The bottom one is one I'd had my eye on for a long time and finally found it Christmas before last 50% off at Hallmark. The little felt pieces magnet on to the house. They each have a little rhyme on the back. Along the way, you can put your letter to Santa in one, then on the 25th the envelope is big enought to put something in it. I just love it! Hopefully next year, they'll help Paul David learn his numbers!

My sister and I started a Christmas Eve tradition many years ago of giving each other a pair of Christmas PJ's. Well, after about 5-6 years and 5-6 pairs of Christmas PJ's later, we decided that we had enough PJ's. In 2005, we switched to Christmas Plates. One day, I'm going to have enough to serve Christmas dinner on them...and they'll all be different.


One of my favorite things I started when Paul David was born was this:

So far, every year...ok, it's only been 3...I've taken him to the Mudpie and made these tiles. I paint them myself...which I'm very proud of because it's HARD for me to paint. We just went today and printed this year's...a Snowman. I'm going to go back this week sometime (without him...because he broke a display turtle in the short time we were there today...they just glued it back together) to finish it.

Christmas Tour-The Bookcase

The top of the bookcase starts with my Nutcracker Collection. I'm really not a Nutcracker Collector, but over the years (mostly from students), I've accumulated 7 Nutcrackers...hmmm. I need one more on the right to complete the look...maybe I'll find one after Christmas:)

The second shelf of the bookcase holds (l to r):
The first Christmas Picture ever taken of Paul and me...Christmas 2003.
The most beautiful nativity given to me by my sister and her family last year for Christmas. I'd longed for it:)
A picture of my sister and her family...Christmas 2006

The next shelf contains my lighted up stuff (l to r):
Paul's Pub...I gave this to Paul the first Christmas we were together...Christmas 2002
Digital Frame (not Christmas)
Little House that was Paul's Grandmothers
Lighted Stones made by my Aunt Mari

I hope you enjoyed my tour. I know I'll love to look back on this many Christmases from now and see how much has changed!

Snow in Texas...Huh?

Look at what was on Paul's car tonight:



It's been sleeting/snowing here most of the afternoon. It's covering the roof, cars, lawns, etc. The streets and driveways are just wet.
So, we took Paul David out to see and touch the snow just a minute ago. He liked it!

This cracked me up...it looks like my hibiscus was going to bloom after yesterday's 78 degree temperatures.
Today it's covered in snow:)

Just for fun...our yard decorations!

Paul David and the Snow

Making Snowballs

Tasting the snow...Mmmm, he said!

The Baby Story...

So to celebrate me being 14 weeks pregnant, I thought I'd tell about the past couple of months in our life and finding out about the baby and all. I hope this doesn't get too graphic for you...I'll try to keep it PG. It's just hard to tell part of it without all of it.

I had an appointment to have an ultrasound on October 6th for some issues I'd been having (you'll just have to use your imagination:) So then on October the 13th, Paul and I went to see my doctor about the results. Now, if you know me and my pregnancy with Paul David, I have some fibroids that never really gave me any trouble. One's pretty good size, but towards my back, so it's out of the way. I thought they were probably the reason for my "issues." So, the ultrasound showed that yes, they were still there, but they were unchanged, which is good. There was a "shadow" on one of my ovaries. She wanted me to come back in 6 weeks for another ultrasound to see what that was (she thought it was probably a shadow of one of the fibroids).

So, after all the discussion, and we were about to be on our way, I mentioned that I was actually at day 28 (girls...you all know what that is right...pretty sure I don't have many male readers:) So, she says, "well, do you want to take a test?" Sure, we say. This was pretty fun because Paul was there, and he wasn't when I took the test with Paul David. The nurse got it out and there in the doctor's office we saw this:

I could say that we saved ourselves about $10 by not having to go buy our own pregnancy test, but I'm sure we've paid for it somewhere in our insurance payments!

I went the next day and two days after that to test my levels and they had over doubled...YAY! Then, we went back on Nov. 26th for that followup Ultrasound and got to see our baby:) They still couldn't tell much about that shadow, so she said she'd look at it when she does my c-section! So reading back over the story, I think I might have hyped that up too much. I hope I didn't let you down too much! I thought it was pretty neat to find out right there in the doctor's office!

Unfortunately, I have these stinking fibroids, that thankfully don't cause me the pain they could. They will make me look bigger as I get bigger...I'm not kidding...that's what she told me. Fortunately because the fibroids could cause growth issues in the baby (like take away the supply to him/her), I get to have lots of the good ultrasounds. I had 3 with Paul David after 20 weeks. This baby's already had 1!

As with Paul David, I'll be taking a picture of myself in front of the fireplace every time I go to the doctor. I like to call it "The Journey of the Belly!" I'm sure I'll be posting them as well. I would post the first two, but they just look like me standing in front of the fireplace. Nothing to show, yet!

Haircut #2

We went this morning and got Daddy and Little Man haircuts. It's been 2 months since Paul David's last one, and I think we were overdue! He did SOOOO good. He sat in the chair all by himself (well, with Lovey) and never even made a peep!

Here's the before:



And the After:

How cute is he?

She even trimmed him up some little sideburns with the clippers...they didn't even faze him!

Then, she blocked it in the back. It just makes him look like the little boy he is becoming. So cute, I think!
I wish I'd taken the camera to the Barber Shop since he sat there all by himself. Oh, well, maybe next time!

Going to the Zoo...

We met up with Amanda, Coleman, and Spence Friday at the Zoo. It was Brrr cold, but we had the best time. We bundled the boys and ourselves up and walked around looking for the animals. Most of them were out, but some monkeys were hiding. Well, the baboons weren't hiding anything that's for sure. Let's just say they put on an x-rated show for us...as Amanda has already said. Sarah has had similar, but not quite the same, encounters with these same baboons, so I think it's pretty normal...cold or hot!

So here are the boys dressed for the cold:



Then, playing on the elephant since the elephants weren't out yet.

Coleman and Paul David walking around the concrete bench.

Mommy and Paul David with the Elephants. They finally emerged!

We had a fantastic and fun filled day with our friends. Amanda and I got to talk, talk, talk, and the boys got to run, run, run! Paul David even stayed awake on the way home and then slept for 3 hours. I hope Amanda was as fortunate!

Yay!

Lately, Paul David's been singing us a variety of songs. You really can't distinguish all the words, but the tune is there...a little. When he's finished singing we always say, "YAY." He's caught on and now he says it...really loudly.

SO, today, Paul David I went to the service at church for the shut-ins and elderly (they do a special Christmas service for them so they don't have to fight the crowds). They were encouraging us yesterday at Bible Study to bring our little ones because the people who come LOVE babies and kids. Well, the Woman's Ensemble sang some beautiful Christmas songs...about 3-4 in a row. After the last one, Paul David yells, "YAY." and claps and kept yelling, "YAY." Of course, everyone was laughing, as was I, and I didn't know what to do except keep putting my hand over his mouth...which wasn't working:) I guess if it had been someone else's child, I would have only thought how cute it was.

Then, one of the girl's in my group at Bible Study got up and lit the advent candle and read a little passage. The whole time she was up there, Paul David was saying, "Hot, Mommy, Hot." Then he would blow like he was blowing out a candle. HA! I'm so glad I hadn't volunteered to do that. He would have been blowing out the candle as fast as I could have lit it and no one would have heard me.

I just kept thinking to myself...they did encourage us to come to this!

After the service, we walked around to some of the elderly. Paul David was so cute...he would reach out and give them five...whether they were ready or not! They did love all the kids!

It was such a blessing for us to go and spend time singing and thinking about Christmas. I love Christmas songs and never tire of hearing the Christmas story.

Christmas Parade 2008

We went to the Christmas Parade Tuesday night. Oh, what fun...

The whole gang...minus Mike who was taking the picture.

All the cousins with their glowing things. Sarah had gotten them after Christmas last year. The kids loved them.

Santa Pictures

We went and saw Santa today.
Just to recap, first:

2006
2 months old



2007
14 months old

2008
2 years old

I'm pretty sure he was thinking, "WHY, WHY do you keep doing this to me, Mommy?"
Santa is thinking, "What's your problem, Dude?"
I'm laughing:)
I tried to get him to tell Santa that he wanted a Football Helmet, but he kept saying NO.
He's probably thinking, "if this guy's how I'm getting a football helmet than you can keep it!"

And now for something GROSS!
This is what I saw yesterday when I was cooking dinner:

This is why I KEEP having to clean this fish bowl. I think it's the biggest I've ever seen come out of that fish. I'm sure you're all with Paul that I'm sick to have even thought to take this picture, but I had to share it with someone...sorry that you're my only someone! I couldn't help myself. I promise not to make it a habit of posting fish poop!