Waiting for Baby V: Twenty-Six Snowy Weeks!

Our tummies from the first 26 weeks of pregnancy and the holidays!  

Happy New Year everyone! It's hard to believe 2013 is here, but I am so excited because that means we are one step closer to meeting Eloise! This is definitely going to be a good year!

So much has happened this week, and since my Christmas Eve blog, so it's hard to know where to begin. Most of all I want to say how much I have really enjoyed and loved Christmas this year. It was the least stressful and therefore the most enjoyable. We started shopping early, were more creative and homemade with many gifts, and tried to do a little each day. We wrapped gifts while watching Christmas movies, and didn't stay up too late making goodies. There were a few stressful days in the middle, but once we got through with that it was much better.

This year, we started our celebrations with a Christmas Eve Eve service, which allowed us on Christmas Eve to have an earlier start time for the babies (and all the adults too) at my Grandma's house. We exchanged many gifts, but still, the whole evening felt more simple and calm. I was able to write the last blog because we got home so early! Crazy, huh?

On Christmas Day, we woke up to some sleet which soon turned in to big beautiful flakes of snow! I loved it! We cooked and ate breakfast, opened our stockings, got ready leisurely, and then opened our gifts to one another. I can see our own family "down-time" and traditions fitting into this relaxed version of Christmas too.

We then headed over to Chris's parents for an afternoon meal, where we also opened a few gifts. It was just the five of us, due to the weather, but the calmness was so nice too! Tess cooked a delicious meal and we just enjoyed each other's company!

Our final stop was to my parents where we had dessert and exchanged gifts with them and my brothers. We hung out for a little while, and had some dessert and cider. It was all so relaxing! We then headed home with plenty of time and energy to still enjoy some of Christmas Day, watch a Christmas movie, and look through all our new gifts.

We then started packing for our trip to Nebraska on the 26th! It is my Dad's birthday, and we always have to make sure to get there on that day so that we can celebrate with him. On our way, we stopped at Aunt Jayne and Uncle John's in Wellington for a little break and to see them. It is always so nice to have a place to stretch our legs (and they even often feed us too!) on our way to Nebraska. So thankful for them!

Snow met us on the way to Kearney too, and much more than here at home! It snowed two of the three days we were there: a constant soft and beautiful snow. It was really amazing! Lucy loved it too, especially running around in it! It was a wonderfully relaxing break from our own busy lives at home. We slept in, visited with the Hunts and Grandma Ginnie, and ate lots of good food. Our Christmas celebrations left me feeling more and more thankful for all that we have, rather than what we don't. We are so lucky, and I couldn't ask for a happier life!

We headed home on the 30th, stopping again in Wellington, and headed straight to my parents when we got into town because there were 3 sweet little Hawaiians there that we had to see! Though two of them had the stomach bug, we wanted to spend time with them on their two days they were here! We ate an early dinner with them yesterday, on New Year's Eve, and then they came over for a little cookie cake for Sophie's 6th birthday. It was so good to get all the cousins together too. 

The last stop of our fun-filled and whirl-wind break was with our friends for a little party to ring in the New Year. We played games, toasted at midnight, and watched some silly YouTube clips, all in our pajamas. 

Pregnant Kiley!

1. Total weight gain: Not really sure this week because my scale stopped working the day after Christmas...Haha! How convenient!

2. Maternity clothes?: Yeppers! I love my maternity pants the most! 

3. Stretch marks?: Not yet still!

4. Sleep?: Heartburn and leg cramps have been quite a bit better, so I have gotten some awesome rest. I have gotten to sleep in almost everyday, which has allowed me to sleep 10 hours or more. I am going to be sad when I don't get that many hours when I return to school tomorrow. :(
5. Best moment this week?: Once again, there are too many to count! I'd have to start with having my most favorite Christmastime this far, including lots of snow. And my best moments everyday are at night, just before we go to sleep, when Chris touches my Ellie belly and talks to her. Even if she's not moving, she will start kicking and wiggling in response to her Daddy. I love it!

6. Miss anything?: Wine! Oh how I want a glass of wine! I will savor it more when I get to have it again... 

7. Movement?: She wiggles and squirms mostly in the morning and at night, but I love it! It is so neat to know that a tiny little baby is wiggling in my tummy, reminding me that she's there.
8. Food cravings?: I pretty much got to eat all my favorite things this week...Seafood, breakfast food, warm comfort foods, desserts, hot chocolate, Amigos, and Dairy Queen. I can't complain!

9. Anything make you queasy or sick?: Nope!

10. Gender?: GIRL! And she got so many sweet little outfits for Christmas from Chris and myself, as well as many other family members and friends.
11. Labor signs?: No, though I did have some weird pains earlier this week. Just remembering to take it easy and drink more water!

12. Symptoms?: Mostly a wiggly one in my tummy and heartburn in the night.

13. Belly button in or out?: In

14. Wedding rings on or off?: On

15. Happy or moody most of the time?: Happy still this week! We have had quite an incredible (but too short) break, and I am so thankful. Hopefully, it will give me the energy to finish these last 9 weeks (give or take a few) before Ellie arrives!

16. Looking forward to most?: This week, it's me thinking about how exciting next year will be. Little Ellie will be here for her first Christmas! Now that it's over for this year, I do have something to look forward to now...Getting her room ready! So that's what I am trying to focus on as we return to our regular lives and jobs, put away our beautiful Christmas decorations, and pray for more snow. And like I said before, the next break is Spring Break, and our little girl will be here shortly after that.

2012 has been so good to us...I can't wait to see what's in store for 2013!