New Years Eve

"I wish my uncle was here!"

Giggling with Grandma Wilma

Talking with Nana

Tables full of Pinocle players
This grumpy and confused look was Christophers all day long look.

We have one more "holiday" gathering tomorrow with Steve's side of the family...then our holidays are officially over. I am so glad we had Logan to share them with this year and I'm relieved that we can go back to our normal schedule. But, at the same time I'm sad that they have flown by and are gone. It was just as much fun as I had imgained it would be...sharing our little joy with our families, minus one important person.

It's hard to think that it will be quite a while until he sees some of those people again. It's difficult to imagine how big he will be.

This holiday season was good, but sad. I miss my brother and wish he could have been here. I knew that I missed him at Christmas but I had expected Christmas to be difficult. The fact that he got to call home and talk to us on Christmas day made things seem a bit more normal. But tonight at mom's annual New Years Eve Party it wasn't the same without him there.

I guess I didn't realize how much I was going to miss him when he left for basic. I think it is only magnified by the fact that we had a new baby. Maybe I'm just hormonal and tired...or maybe my emotions are warranted. Either way, they are mine. I can't wait until February when God willing we get to drive to TX for his graduation. Until then, we will keep plugging along. Thanks to everyone who has been a great source of support for me, my mom and entire family during this time. I know that this is just the first step for AJ on a journey that is going to provide him endless opportunities.

A Bunch of Nothing

Here is a picture of my beautiful sleeping baby boy...since I have nothing else to leave you with tonight. I've been at work, working 12 hour shifts. No time for new pics and Steve has been preoccupied as well. Don't let the picture fool you. He only lets me bundle him when he is extremely exhausted and tonight he was.

There is a whole bunch of nothing going on in our home. All is well...and for the moment all is quiet! Both of the boys are snug and cozy warm in their beds. I'm getting ready to sit down and address Christmas cards that should have been mailed two weeks ago(better late than never right?). I think I am granted auto forgiveness for being late this year with a new baby. I had every intention of getting them out, but oh, the best laid plans.

I work 12 hours again tomorrow. My good friend from Florida is town and leaving on Friday. Hopefully Thursday a.m. we will get to go to breakfast and will have some fun pics to share. Until then, my blog will be quiet. Enjoy the break!

Nina and Papa's House

Brylie and Christopher...difficult to tell without their faces

Today we went to Steve's mom and dad's for Christmas. I know it's confusing. My mom is Nana and Steve's mom is Nina. Anyhow, she fixed a great ham and lunch was delicious. Any excuse to get all the kids together works for us. My sister and brother in law came dragging in late from Hays where they had been all weekend. I sure they were exhausted and just ready to be home. But first, they had to come see us! Our children are so wild together. Their two girls are adorable and I love to spoil them.

Rice Cereal and Sleep

He is soooo helpful!
Messy face

Logan hasn't been sleeping well...still. For awhile we had him sleeping 4-5 hours then up every 1 1/2 hours until I got up for the day. Now we are back to ever 2-3 hours at night. So we decided to try some rice cereal and see if it would help....it didn't. But it was fun to see his messy face!

Nana and Papa's House

Aunt Kati mastering her new digital camera
Steve and his new mechanics tool set
Logan was so exhausted!

Dinner with my parents was great. Dad cooked steak and we had sweet potatoes, salad, bread...always yummy for this meat and potatoes girl! I went to look at some video of Logan Nana had shot earlier in the day and found that it was on the same disc as the video mom took of the day Logan was born. I hadn't ever seen it so it was fun to view. What was really special was that for much of it my brother was there and holding Logan. It's obvious how much he loves and adores the little guy even from the first day.

That brings me to the highlight of the day. AJ got to call us! I was so excited to hear his voice. He's doing well, getting "buff." He said they fed him a great meal for Christmas. He went to church Sunday and he said he cried the whole time because it just reminded him of home. He misses us dearly but is doing well. We only got to talk for twelve minutes but it the most special twelve minutes of the day. I love the picture above where Grandma is holding Logan because AJ's stocking is hanging in the background. We thought of him the whole evening. I can't wait for the Christmas he gets to be home!

Christmas Giggles

Christmas At Our House

Christopher with his new golf clubs


2009 Family Pic

We didn't have many presents at our house this year. Steve and I decided once again not to buy for each other. Last year our fertility treatments were our present to each other and this year Logan was the best present I could have ever received. Material gifts seemed stupid comparitively.

Christopher is getting more difficult to buy for. He gave me a short list and I think he got everything on that list. The golf clubs were not on the list but he didn't have his own set and loves to go play with Steve. Hopefully they will have a bunch of fun this summer at the golf course.

Newman Christmas

Laughing with Papa
Tired with Nana
Some of the goodies
We had ham, prime rib and turkey!
It was too much for Logan

Tonight we went out to my uncles. He lives out past the lake and in the blizzard-like conditions it was quite a trip! We made it though and lots of good food and fun...I love family.

The Night Before Christmas

Here is my attempt to capture the scene at our house today. We are off to my uncles tonight for Christmas with mom's side of the family. I have to work 7a.m. to 3p.m. tomorrow so we don't have Christopher until tomorrow evening...that is if I make it to work. The weather is crazy. One minute they are saying five inches of snow and two of ice, then the next that the storm isn't even moving this way. I guess we will find out in the morning what will be true!

'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house,

Logan's toys lay a strewn as mom cleaned puke off her blouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

Where they would wait 'til tomorrow when Christopher is here.

The infant child lay sleeping ever so quietly on the floor,

While the dog snored softly, finally itching no more!

The cookies were frosted,

The music was played,

The tree was a-glow

Where gifts underneath it did lay.

Outside the wind howled as the snow it was fallin'

Hope it stops soon, mom would hate to call in!

Quick Update

I'm not even sure how Christopher got the camera to do this but it's kinda neat!
Big boy Logan in his borrowed Bumbo seat...thanks Payton!

I'm back at work with a wacked out schedule this week because of the holidays. Thursday when I am off you will get a much more worthwhile post.

Logan has been really crabby, chewing on his hands all the time and I'm sure it is his teeth. We have also changed his routine up a bit. He still was only sleeping a COMBINED total of 5-6 hours a night. So Sunday we kept him up all day. He got one decent two hour nap and a few little 15-30 minute cat naps here and there. We put him to bed at eight and only took him out of bed to feed him, then right back to bed it was. He cried for a few minutes one time but I think when he figured out that I wasn't going to pick him up he decided to go back to sleep. He slept(feeding times excluded) until 6 a.m. Monday morning! Almost 9 full hours of sleep(combined of course with three feeds in there too). I'll take what I can get.

This morning he was so tired that I didn't even dress him for Daycare. He went in his PJ's and barely woke up going from bed to carseat. SO maybe we are on to something. Tonight he fell asleep at 7:30 and there was no waking him. Even if it isn't sleeping through the night, at least we are getting SOME sleep now.

Over the River and Through the Woods

...to grandmother's house we go!

Friday night we went to grandma Wilma's for her Christmas. Between my family, Steve's family, working around Christopher's moms' family and the holiday chaos in general this is always a trying two weeks.

Logan did great for quite awhile, was all smiles and laughs. But, boy when he was done, was he done. My mom and I cut out early so I could bring him home and put him to bed. I think his teeth are bothering him too which isn't helping matters.

The big boys had a great time staying and playing guitars with the rest of the guys. They didn't make it home until 11:15p.m. That is way past my bedtime!

My New Favorite Thing

I am big enough for my jumper now!
I love thr frog and mirror.

I'm barely tall enough to touch the fllor.

I can watch myself blow bubbles inthe mirror!

Bath Time is Fun!

I have learned how to splash in the tub!
I'm very good at getting daddy wet.

Soap is fun to look at, the bubbles are shiny.

But I still love cuddly towel time the best.

You will always get smiles out of me during towel time.

Another Day

No smiles from me today.
I love looking at the Christmas tree.

This weekend was pretty busy. We had a wedding on friday and my Christmas party for work on Saturday. Logan stayed with Nana Susan all night on Saturday night. That was a first for all of us! I wish I could say that I slept all night without having to get up with Logan but sadly I could not. I fould myself up at 4a.m. to pump and then at 6:30 I could not go back to sleep any longer.

We start all of the Christmas stuff this week. Christopher has a basketball game on Monday, a band concert on Tuesday and we are going to Grandma Wilma's for her Christmas Friday. Of course I'm working four twelve hour shift and an eight hour shift this week as well. We will be busy that's for sure!

Santa Babies

Okay, so as promised here are Logan and Payton's pictures from yesterday. Don't they make such a beautiful couple. You might remember Payton from the Pumpkin post here, or their halloween pictures here, or any other number of posts with the two of them like the one here.

These two have no idea what kind of torurous years lie ahead for them in the picture dept. I'm sure as far as friendships go they will get along just fine. Abby and I are so picture obsessed it's insane. They just grow so fast and I want to have it all in pictures. It's not often that two best friends get to share their children with each other so close in age.

The two of them are already two peas in a pod...Logan screams and Payton cries out of sympathy(I swear there was nothing wrong!). Payton is hungry and Logan decides he may as well eat while he has the chance too. They crack me up. Heaven help us when Logan gets big/old enough to truly take Payton on. I think he's gonna give her a run for her money!