Wrapping up January

January has been a month of surprises for us! I haven't worked a full week since before Christmas, Brad has been getting to have 3-day weekends for the last 2 weeks, and Bubba and Gammy came for a surprise visit (well, not really, but it was decided they would be coming Friday afternoon right before they left)!!!!! So much fun!!!! Brad also watched Gwen for a full day all by himself for the first time ever!!!! I don't know how it has been almost 3 years without him needing to watch her for more than an hour, but he survived just fine :-) He said he would even do it again!!!! I may just start going out for pedicures or something!

Who wants so entertainment? For FREE!

We packed a bunch of playtime into a quick visit. Gwen took Bubba and Gammy to the park, Bubba to visit the goats, and we even watched a movie! Gammy unfortunately came down with something and wasn't feeling the greatest, but we loved seeing her. We can't wait to see them again and introduce them to Gwen's little brother!!!!!

Some of you are asking "Where are all the belly pics this pregnancy?" Well, I have been a bit lazy in getting in front of the camera. I am thoroughly enjoying being the photographer and not the subject for this blog! Anyway, here is our Little Man at 33 weeks. He is a strong roller as I have commented before, and he is pushing to make more room like crazy! I have been having contractions today about 2 an hour...I just hope that he stays put until March! I have lots of things at work to do first!

Gwen also has made a list of her favorite things and wanted to share it with you:

Gwen's Favorite Things 2010 (started 12-18-10 and finally completed today)

Gwen's favorite...

Color-pink

Food-pink ice cream (aka strawberry)

Friend-Gracie

Pet-Pooka and Nimbus

Toy-Duckie...I love it all day!

Thing to play-toys

Thing to cook-salad and tomatoes (for real cooking)

Thing to play outside-roll in the grass

Movie-Puppy (aka Santa Buddies), Cat (aka Curious Buddies), and Bear (aka Kung Fu Panda). I have lots!

Place- the beach

Show- Diego

Animal- cat

Book- elephant book ("But No Elephants" by Jerry Smath)

Song-Dora song

Snow Day #7 and Some Firsts

Yep, Friday we had yet another snow day! This day was extra special because Brad didn't have to work!!!!!!!!!! He is off until Monday as a fun surprise! This would have been even better if I hadn't started having contractions yet because we could have traveled to Chicago for cousin Lilly's 1st Birthday Party. But, my doctor is recommending that I stay close to home from now until our Baby Boy arrives. Instead of packing up the car and heading north, we bundled up and played in the fresh snow.

"I love sledding!!!!!!!!!"

"A little snow blowing here will do the trick!"

"What is better than sledding and playing in the snow? Playing dress up!"

"I give Tangled a big thumbs up!"

We got really brave last night and took Gwen to her 1st movie! We picked Tangled and a 6:30 show...we figured since it has been out for some time it wouldn't be too full and it would keep her attention with all the animals. We were right!!!!!!! (thankfully!) There were 3 families there and Gwen did great the whole time staying quiet and eating her popcorn! She even started brushing her hair like Rupunzel during the movie! So cute!

Other firsts to note:

-Gwen has mastered zipping and unzipping coats and Pjs (footie pajamas no longer stay on as long as they used to once she is awake).

-She also amazed us yesterday with knowing how to unbutton and button a sweater!

-Potty training is going great!!!!!!! She is now about 98% successful with only an accident once in awhile and they usually happen at night. She is even taking herself now! The other day Brad was watching her and she left the room for a bit (he thought to the play room) only to return with her pants around her ankles. She apparently decided she needed to go and came back for help wiping! I just hope this continues when the baby comes!

Snow, snow, and more snow!!!!!!

We are now on snow day #6!!!!!! Today has worked out nicely though...I was able to get my doctor's appointment in before lunch instead of after school! Baby Boy is doing great and right on target! At 32 weeks, my belly is measuring 32 cm, my blood pressure is staying stable (hurray!), I actually went down a 1/2 lb in the last 2 weeks, and Baby's heart rate is a nice 140 bpm! I have started having some contractions, but I have been reassured that everything is fine! I guess with Gwen I just didn't notice and this time I am! Needless to say, all baby items were washed over the weekend and the bag for the hospital is being packed! You never can be too prepared right?

The snow has been falling all day and we are estimated to get 4-6 inches by dinner time! So, Gwen and I will be having more fun later in the snow after her nap! She will be shocked to see that it is still snowing!!!! I am guessing that I will be off again tomorrow (that will mean I will have to work after Memorial Day), but I'm okay with that!!!!!

Fun from Snow Day #5:

Morning Pajama Party with bubbles!!!!!! All Gwen's idea, and so much fun!

I didn't know where she found the bubbles (I had put them away when the weather turned cooler) until later when I saw this in the play room. I had put them up on the top of the shelves between the speakers since I thought we wouldn't be needing them for awhile. Can you picture what happened here?

Everyone came out to play today!!!! We were baby-sitting Pinocchio for Ashley Beth last week and even he was enjoying the freedom of being off leash and the snow!

It's never too cold to swing!

Daddy was ready to pull the sled when he came home from work and Gwen loved it!!!!!!

A snowy slide never gets old!

Gwen's first visit to the Coal Mine!

Gwen had the opportunity recently to go with Ashley Beth and Ty to visit the coal mine that Daddy and Poppy work at!!!!! Joey was even there working over his break! I have only been out to the mine once myself, and I was only there for about 5 minutes! Gwen's already ahead!

Some background for those who don't know, the coal mine that the guys work at is an open pit mine and looks more like a quarry to me. No one at this mine is underground like some that we have been hearing about on the news. Here are some pics from the trip:

"Daddy was extremely surprised and excited to see me! I loved seeing Daddy and wearing my cool hard hat!

"Daddy's job is to drill the holes that get filled with explosives. Here is his really big drill!"

"Daddy took me inside the drill and showed me all his controls. It was cool, but even cooler was what you could see out his window! Look, Daddy, a big truck!"

"The mine had lots of big trucks and is very dirty!"

"Poppy showed me another big truck that drives the coal where it needs to go. It is HUGE!"

"Joey was out there too! He was working on a project for Poppy, but I don't know what exactly he was doing. He was driving around in a cool little truck though."

Gwen is one lucky little girl, she can now say she has seen where all her "cool guys" work! She has been to "Bubba's House" (aka Bubba's dental office) and to the coal mine! Pretty cool!

More Christmas and a Happy New Year!

With a 2 hour delay this morning, I can finally get another blog out! Gwen and our family had a wonderful Christmas spent with lots of family! Our celebrations began Christmas Eve at Grandmother's house and continued at Gram and Poppy's house....

Gwen helped Gram open a number of presents!

Poppy enjoyed a little dress up time with Gwen :-)

Joey and Whitney were home for the fun!

Even Ashley Beth and Ty were able to make it all the way from West Virginia!

Gwen was a very busy bee opening presents and playing with each one!

After some fun with the Tempels, we headed to Chicago for some Casey fun! Gwen loved seeing everyone and playing with Lilly! She also loved the snow! Chicago had about 8 inches of snow on the ground when we visited and Gwen and Bubba took advantage of all the fun to be had!

Buzz loved all the snow Gwen was throwing his way!

"Look Bubba! My legs are covered!" Gwen and Bubba only stayed out for about 20 minutes, but had tons of fun!

"Wow!!!! You can eat it!!!!!!"

We celebrated Christmas with Lilly and the girls got all dolled up for the occasion! Gwen loved showing off her red shoes!

Eager to show Lilly how a pro does it, Gwen attacked all the presents we would let her get her hands on!

"I love my new dress Elfie, don't you?"

Bubba and his girls had a great time playing under the tree with the spinning ornaments and the vent :-)

Before dinner one night we headed off to Brookfield Zoo to see the Zoo Lights!!!!! Gwen liked the lights, and the wagon ride around the zoo, but I think she liked seeing the animals best!

We returned home just in time to celebrate the coming of 2011! We went over the Gram and Poppy's house and hung out with Grace and her family!

Gwen also welcomed a new member to her growing pet family before the party! Here is her new baby goat that came while she was gone...affectionately named Charlie Horse!

Gwen was all ready to party all night!

Grace and Gwen modeled their PJs for everyone!

The girls worked hard to keep Papaw and Poppy awake!

Amazingly Gwen and Grace both stayed awake to ring in the new year with us! Happy 2011!!!!!

Happy New Year! Don't you love Gwen's choice of clothes (or the lack of)!

P.S.--So in the time it took to do this blog....that 2 hour delay turned in to a school cancelation!!!!!! Gotta love a little snow!

Also, yesterdays doctors appointment for our Baby Boy went very well. I am feeling well, despite a cold, and my little man is too. He is measuring fine and his heartbeat is strong. He is more of a tumbler and a little kicker and enjoys rolling around any time I stop moving. Every now and then he will give an series of strong kicks really low which makes the doctor think that at this point he is breach. Hopefully that will change by March with all the rolling he is doing! I am also expecting lots of hair on this one like Gwen! I have had to be on reflux medicine for over 2 months now because it was bothering me all day and night long! I have also started nesting already! Brad is laughing at me all the time because I am already trying to get everything in the house in order before my little man's arrival. I have reorganized all of Gwen's old clothes into new bins and put them away in the back of our closet. I have pulled about 1 bin's worth of neutral clothes from all that we already had and have hung all the clothes that we received as gifts in the closet! Brad thinks this is hysterical since it is only January, but you can never be too prepared...right?