17 weeks

Bathroom tile removed, getting ready for bathroom remodel

Cravings: Water and smoothies

Sleep: Still getting up at least once to use the restroom

 

Symptoms: Terrible heartburn

Movement: Baby is moving for sure, not sure how consistent I feel them

Maternity clothes: Not wearing them yet, hoping to make it until the New Year

Size of baby: Turnip

 

What I miss: Diet Vanilla Coke from Sonic

 

Looking forward to: Finding out if baby is a girl or boy; 3 days until the reveal party

Not sure if I will make it?!?!

Jackson holding the secret results

Christmas Day

Christmas morning Brian and I were up before Jackson once again. He slept until 7:30, but every other day of break this week he has been up at 6:15!

 

Santa enjoyed all the cookies and milk and left Jackson a note.

 While breakfast was cooking, Jackson dug into his stocking. Lots of fun goodies!

 Testing out Finn McMissile on the iPad.

 Breakfast was Jesus' birthday celebration. We sang Happy Birthday and put candles on the monkey bread.

Christmas morning family picture

Next up was presents! Jackson started with presents from Santa. He must have been good because he got exactly what he wanted from Santa plus one. 

His rainbow engine truck and big pirate ship were favorites all day.

He even tried out his scooter!

"This is how you scooter, Mom!"

 

 We spent the rest of the day watching some of Jackson's new movies, playing new games, and with new toys. We went over to Aunt Midge's for dinner. It was a great day celebrating God's goodness on our family and just being together.

Christmas Eve

Since Brian had to work, I decided to plan an outing for Jackson and me. We met Cindy and her kids at Monkey Joe's.

The kids jumped and ran around for about 2 hours.



Cindy and I were able to watch them and talk too.

After Monkey Joe's, we took the kids to McDonald's for lunch and they played some more. This was a great idea and made the morning go by so fast. By the time we got home, it was nap time!

After Jackson's nap, we got ready for church. 

I filled a bowl full of snacks for Jackson and prayed he would sit quietly through the service. 

LOVE my boy even though he is exhausting these days!



Church service was great. Jackson enjoyed the snow and candle lighting.

 Once we made it home, Jackson got to open one present. He had been waiting all day for this!

 Dino pajamas="just what he always wanted!"

 Jackson cuddled with me on the couch as we watched The Grinch, ate pizza, and waited for Daddy to come home.

 

We finished our night with sprinkling reindeer food and leaving cookies and milk out for Santa. Jackson went to bed unbelievably good so Santa would come to his house first!



Merry Christmas!

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

Christmas Party and Show

Thursday morning, Jackson had his Christmas party at preschool. Being the wonderful parents we are, not one of us was able to take off and be there the whole time. Thankfully my wonderful team covered my lunch duty, and I was able to spend an hour with him.

 

Jackson was beyond excited when I got there. He was running around showing me his presents and talking a mile a minute about what they did in the morning. Good thing he didn't miss me too much. I was a little worried because my 1st graders sometimes cry when no parent comes to their party. Aunt Midge being there helped I'm sure!

 I finished eating pizza with Jackson for lunch and then helped him make a gingerbread house.

We had some practice on this activity! As much as I wished I could have made the whole party, we made the most of the time I was there and had a blast.

 (Sidenote about the reindeer shirt: Jackson has wore this shirt no less than once a week since Thanksgiving. It was less than $3 and a bit small, but a 4T was all they had and he really wanted Rudolph with googly eyes.)

 

Jackson had been counting down to go see the puppet show. Second Baptist was putting on The Crazy Christmas Show and he was excited to go. We went Friday night after getting some dinner at Chick-fil-a.

The set was fun and Jackson could hardly wait for it to start.

 The whole show was really fun, upbeat, and about the true meaning of Christmas. They used some oldies and current songs and changed the lyrics to tell the Christmas story. It kept our toes tapping. Jackson even stood up and danced some.

Another fun Christmas activity in the book and on the list for next year too!

16 weeks

Cravings: Peanut butter and fruit

 

Sleep: Still getting up at least once to use the restroom

 

Movement: Baby is moving for sure, not sure how consistent I fell them

 

Maternity clothes: Just ordered a bunch of cute new maternity clothes, not wearing them yet, hoping to make it until Christmas

 

Size of baby: Avocado

 

What I miss: Not much

 

Looking forward to: Christmas break to rest and spend more time with my first baby

 

 

I was feeling a lot bigger this time around than with Jackson. So, I did a little comparison. I guess not! I think I am about the same.

 

So thankful all is going well!

A Christmas Prayer

I heard this prayer by Max Lucado on KSBJ this morning. In light of the recent tragedy, and evil around us everyday, the world is in need of Savior more then ever. Come. Jesus. Come.

 

Dear Jesus,

It's a good thing you were born at night. This world sure seems dark. I have a good eye for silver linings. But they seem dimmer lately.

These killings, Lord. These children, Lord. Innocence violated. Raw evil demonstrated.

The whole world seems on edge. Trigger-happy. Ticked off. We hear threats of chemical weapons and nuclear bombs. Are we one button-push away from annihilation?

Your world seems a bit darker this Christmas. But you were born in the dark, right? You came at night. The shepherds were nightshift workers. The Wise Men followed a star. Your first cries were heard in the shadows. To see your face, Mary and Joseph needed a candle flame. It was dark. Dark with Herod's jealousy. Dark with Roman oppression. Dark with poverty. Dark with violence.

Herod went on a rampage, killing babies. Joseph took you and your mom into Egypt. You were an immigrant before you were a Nazarene.

Oh, Lord Jesus, you entered the dark world of your day. Won't you enter ours? We are weary of bloodshed. We, like the wise men, are looking for a star. We, like the shepherds, are kneeling at a manger.

This Christmas, we ask you, heal us, help us, be born anew in us.

Hopefully,
Your Children

 

 

Goodies, Gifts, and Grease

Was my elf eating or unwrapping the Hersey Kisses for me?

Jackson helped me make peanut butter blossoms this weekend, and Brian helped with the cake balls and toffee. 

  I decided to forgo the cut out cookies just because I didn't want to spend the time frosting them.

Platter for of yumminess headed to Brian's work!

I made up goodie bags for each of my team members and sent some as part of Jackson's preschool teachers gifts.

 

I finished "wrapping" my students gifts this weekend as well. 

 Today my friend Jeannine brought me my first baby gift.

 Look at those adorable socks! Maybe I do need a girl!

I decided to use them to tell my students I was pregnant. I had them infer why Rennie, our school Elf, would leave Mrs. Hartzler baby socks. It took them a while to figure it out, but when they got it their reactions were priceless. I love the sweet girls who said, "But, why is your belly not big?" At writing time, another student told me I should write my small moment about how I made the baby. I think NOT!

 

We bought a Explore about a month and a half ago, so Brian has been driving the Jeep. He realized the Jeep was leaking radiator fluid on Saturday and decided he was going to try and fix it himself.

After being covered in grease from head to toe, taking the front off, leaking red transmission fluid all over the garage and driveway, 9 hours of labor, some frustration he DID it and save us a bunch of money!

Christmas Program

Saturday morning, Jackson's preschool had a short Christmas program. The girls dressed as angels and the boys as shepherds or donkeys. Jackson chose to be a donkey. Jackson acted extremely shy once again when we got there and wouldn't let me leave his side until he went on stage. He even hit his teacher when I tried to leave him and she grabbed him. I tell you, this parenting stuff is pretty humbling!

Jackson knew all his songs, and Ms. Csharie told me his sang the best at practice. He didn't disappoint during the program either. I was trying to not to laugh the whole time. You can hear his little voice louder than everyone else. On the second and third song he even added a silly accent to his loud voice. Love that he isn't shy on stage!

 Some of his friends and Ms. Csharie behind the fence.

After the program they had crafts, lunch, and decorating cookies. 

Thankful for fun activities put on by Jackson's preschool!

15 weeks

 

(Keeping it real with dirty towels in the bathtub!)

 

We got to see our littlest love again today on the good ultrasound machine.

I am in LOVE with these profile pictures!

A little hand and a very active baby.

 

Cravings: Still Fruit and yogurt parfait from McDonald's, really anything I don't have to cook, I have been starving lately

 

Pregnancy Brian: I locked my keys in the car, left my checkbook at the salon, several other little things at school

Sleep: Not as tired, but still get up to go to bathroom 1-2 times

Slept good this week, trying to fight off a sinus infection and ward off all the sickness going around at school

Movement: I actually do think I feel some flutters.

Maternity clothes: Not yet and hopefully I can make it until Christmas.

Size of baby: an apple (I eat one everyday)

What I miss: Not much except working out, but really I am too tired to do that anyway.

Looking forward to: Finding out the sex of the baby, we tried to today but he or she wouldn't cooperate

 

Awww! I can't get enough of that sweet face!

"I will proclaim the name of the Lord, Oh, praise the greatness of our God." Deuteronomy 32:2

An Encounter With Santa

We had heard about a local neighborhood that goes all out for Christmas. We decided to take a chance and drive over there and check it out. Most streets had a theme like; USA, Christmas at the Zoo, 12 Days of Christmas, Frosty the Snowman. Some were done better than others. The USA street went all out and was even shooting off fireworks as we drove through. Jackson's favorite house was the one that had snow falling.

On our way down one street we found Santa in his sleigh, with his big red sack.

Jackson got a polar bear and candy cane from Santa. He is still quite curious as to how his sleigh got there.

Santa was definitely a highlight of our trip and made the drive worth it!

 

Polar bear has can make Jackson smile, listen, and do chores around the house.

 

Polar Bear goes everywhere with Jackson.

LOVE him and his excitement for the season!

Christmas Party and Gingerbread Houses

Friday night we hosted our Sunday School's Christmas Party. We did an appetizer bar and frost your own cookies. Dana planned some Christmas Minute To Win It games. I didn't win us even one candy cane for our jar. I think everyone had a great time!

 

Gingerbread houses were on the agenda for Saturday. We hit up Target for some yummy Christmas candy and frosting. Jackson and I worked together and Brian made his own. He is a serious builder!

Jackson didn't have patience for building the house, he just wanted to decorate his house with as much candy as he could! I think our doors are a nice touch to our house.

The finished houses side by side. 

Both houses are already missing a piece of their roofs!