Christmas Time Fun...

We have actually been having a lot of fun, me and my kiddos, these past few weeks getting ready for Christmas and enjoying the indoors. At first I was feeling a little cabin fever- we were staying in more than normal because my kiddos were sick and Jed was so little so it took him a little longer to get over it, but after a while, I really started to enjoy being at home and spending some serious quality time with my little ones. I was really intentional with crafts and activities to keep Emery busy- and she loved all of it (boy, do I love that part about my sweet girl, she loves CRAFTS! Yahoo!) Here's some of the snippits I will remember about this holiday season...

Emery got to decorate her first Gingerbread man... she loved it!

... the finished product...

We also made some "crayon pucks" for her friends and wrapped them up as gifts!

We've spent a lot of time ready books and sharing them with Brother...

If you look closely, she gave him the book "Farmer Jed" to read :)

Cousin Griffin came over and we made "Jingle Bell" Christmas Ornaments and they ran up and down the halls singing the song for... oh... 20 minutes!

We watched a Christmas cartoon as a family in our jammies and had popcorn...

We painted lots of things and made presents for our family...

she was really into painting, so we found more things to paint!

Emery also got to make a snowman on her window...

Then we made Christmas cookies together....

And Emery and Bubba delivered them to the neighbors! Emery loved being an elf!

And one night Bubba made a big fire and Emery got to stay up late to read Christmas books, just her and daddy :)

We've had a lot of fun, it's been a quiet season, which is different for me because I like to be out and about more & see more friends and family- and I actually really like the usual holiday bustle- but this year has been different and I am really enjoying the simplicity of my family!

And this little guy, no, we didn't forget about him, we are loving having him around- he's just been doing a whole lot of this:

Jedidiah has ARRIVED!

...just a few hours old...

We are so excited to have our new little man here, he is absolutely great, we love him to pieces and are soaking up the snuggles and quietness right now :) I want to try to record the event, in hopes of someday making a book/album of our family off of my blog, but time is precious right now between the two little ones so I will do my best.... this is my recording the experience via my pictures... I guess some would call that photo journalism, I would say it's really just aiding my memory along the right path :)

It was Monday night, around 11 pm when I MADE my husband take one last picture... my 39th week!!! before he could go to bed.... little did I know it would be just a few hours later that the labor would begin! Here I am being a nerd, "3 more days until he's due!"... it was way too late!

My sweet friend Vali came over at 4ish to sleep on the couch with Em, I was picking up Candy Land, trying desperately to dry my only 2 pairs of pants that I just had to wash the night before (which never dried by the by so I wore my husbands!) and doing other random things that were pointless but felt like a good idea at the time! We got to the hospital and got checked in at 4:45. Most of my contractions were about every 8 - 10 minutes but really intense and I was a 6 by 6am- not the norm, but things were definitely moving along! Here's a shot between contractions ENJOYING those delicious ice chips! Honestly, my dream house would have that kind of ice machine in it.
So I guess a little after 8 I was fully dilated and ready to go, so we waited for the doctor and by 8:30ish I was pushing... 10 minutes later he popped out at 8:47 and I got to meet the little man that I'd been waiting to see for 9 months- how crazy is that first few minutes! He came out doing well, I was feeling great now that I wasn't sitting on his head, and then we got to snuggle... just me, Jed, and Bubs.... it was perfect.
Wow, so weird to think we had a "son" now. His name Jedidiah means "loved by God" which makes the name even more perfect for me, it was part of the reason why we chose it. We had a hard time picking out a middle name, until it hit me one day. I decided I wanted to name my son after my husband, if he turns out anything like the man that my husband is, my heart will be overfilled with joy. What an example that my husband is of a man who loves God, loves his family and is full of integrity- it's my hearts desire that my son would follow in THOSE footsteps. I love you Bubs (aka Matthew!).

So, I had been waiting ever since I knew Emery understood that she was having a baby brother, to see her response to him... and it was perfect! She knew exactly who he was when she came in. She was a little overwhelmed, looked under my sheets after she saw him- kinda puzzled that he had somehow escaped my belly, and then, as naturally as the little mother hen that she is, tickled his cheek and said "getcha, getcha, goo.... Hi baby Jedidiah!" Loved it, it's a memory I will keep locked in my heart forever. She's the best!
He was so great, slept lots, nursed really well, was so kissable and huggable--- those newborn smells and sounds were really fun to experience all over again!

My mom was the greatest, she came down when I called her in the morning, and she has been here to help... which is GREAT because it's a challenge with a toddler for sure! She is a baby lover, a soother, not to mention a great "baby burper", and my sweet friend. Thanks for your servant's heart mom and loving us always.

We ended up staying the night in the hospital because Jed's got some eating/barfing issues that they wanted to keep an eye on, so by the next morning we were ready to leave and head home. You can still pray for the eating/barfing issues that we figure them out, they are manageable but we just want to make sure everything is okay for him.

Home sweet home, ahh... it feels good to be home... as a family of 4!

And I will leave you with two pictures, which will probably be followed by many more... Emery loving on her new "baby doll".... he will probably learn to be very patient is my guess!

Halloween

Halloween was a real hoot this year- like years past, our little family of 3 all dressed up.... and Emery picked the theme! She really wanted to be a snowman (what can I say, as a Christmas Elf myself, I was secretly really excited!) I couldn't resist the opportunity to "flaunt what I got" at this point (my super huge belly!) so I went as Santa, and my "good sport of a husband" accompanied us as an elf... we had so much fun... have I mentioned before that I love this age? or this girl? or my wee little family of 3... which is about to be a family of 4??? I love it! I love it! I love it!

Baby Boy's Shower...

Warning: if you don't like details, you won't like this post!

This was one of the BEST days I have had in a long time, and I mean a LONG TIME.... I am still soaring high from all the love, encouragement, and sweet friends that were there to celebrate with me. As a mom, time alone or with sweet friends can rejuvinate your heart like nothing else, and this to me, was one of those times- my heart was needing it more than I knew...

My Baby Shower for Baby Boy Haddon...

Here are all the wonderful girls that made it as special as it was- a big thank you to them all for coming!

(here is where the details begin, I took a picture of everything because I LOVED everything about this outside garden party, it was perfect, I needed to document it ALL!)

The lunch table overlooking the golf course...

The darling party table with yummy Cake Pops (made by Kristen), delicious bird nest cupcakes (made by Katy), and a favor for everyone to take home... so cute!

"A Tweet for You"... so so clever!

A darling little laundry line with boys clothing...

The cutest book, Little Hoot, that everyone signed for my Baby Boy...

They even made the present area look darling, are these girls creative or what!?!

Soup and Salad for lunch and some presents...

The darling party planners & sweet friends- Kristen, Vali & Annah

The Cupcake Queen and good friend, Katy

My Sweet Friend & hostess Jennifer...

My family- My mom Debs, sister Danika, me, Sister-in-Law Lisa, Mother-in-Law Jackie, and Sister-in-law Gelayol... so thankful they could all be there!

And these two girls have become part of my home away from home in Bakersfield, Annah & Allison, love them lots!

And when we got home there was time to catch up with the rest of my family who came along for the visit, I really enjoyed seeing my newest little nephew, Wyatt.... what a cutie pie!

Look at those yummy cheeks on that little guy!

Everyone going ga-ga over the new baby...

Emery taking care of her little buddy Jude, she is such the Mother Hen wiping his hands and feeding him dinner...

And Grammie reading books and tucking the little ones in to bed- she's the best!

What a great weekend, what great memories!

One Last Trip to the Coast...

We (hu...hum...I) really wanted to take one last trip to the Coast before Baby Boy arrived- It was a much needed getaway and dose of SLO that I was longing for!

Here's Em eating breakfast before we left, ready to go with her "beach hat" on!

A stop at one of my favorite places, Avila Barn...

Checking out the giant pumpkins

and their little petting zoo...

and a trip to the pumpkin patch...

A tractor ride that she couldn't wait for....

we couldn't resist a trip to Firestone... everyone was excited about that!

My request- breakfast at my favorite coffee shop, Linnea's... I knew Emery would love the outside patio, the fish, and...

the scrambled eggs!

My "happy place" in the garden patio with a vanilla latte next to the pond with green stuff growing everywhere- this is where I will escape to in my mind during middle of the night feedings, crying, and changing newborn diapers :) Ha ha ha!

A day at the beach in Avila...

What!?! How old are you getting Emmie Lou! You look so big... please don't grow up, I love this age!!!

Daddy took us girls out on a fancy date to Giuseppe's in SLO, us girls had a great time!

Just the 3 of us... well, I guess there's kinda 3 & 1/2!

and the count down continues, 5 weeks to go in this picture!

(bad picture but important to document!)

A big, giant thank you to my darling Honey, he is so sweet, so thoughtful and such a love. This weekend was something I really wanted to squeeze in (and it was a squeeze into a busy fall so far!) I so appreciate you valuing things that I value and loving me in this way.

YOU. ARE. THE. BEST.