Merry Christmas!

We sure had a White Christmas!  Thank goodness we left on Tuesday night the 23rd, for it snowed another 3 inches Christmas Eve.  I am not sure what the totals are, but

 the snow banks are taller than me!  We had a wonderful time in Racine with the family!  Ellen sure is growing  quickly, and is a beautiful baby!  It was a real treat to have a baby around for Christmas.  They are so peaceful, and it is hard to imagine that Christ came as a humble, helpless babe.  His Father, full well knowing that he loved Him much more, gave him into the arms of humans to take care of Him.  God loves us that much that he gave us that kind of gift--it is truly hard for me to fathom.

While at the Noelke's, it was nice to relax, eat too much, have great conversations, watch ND beat Hawaii, and play games!  Madi got a special gift, which you can see here, right after she opened it!  It didn't take long for her to unform the candy cane and chew through the ends.  

We saw the Benjamin Button movie and Marely and Me over the break.  I don't know if I have ever cried as hard as I did watching Marley and Me.  If you are a dog lover, you HAVE to see the movie!  

Now, PJ and I are setting up the nursery!  Once it is completed I will post some pictures!  We also start our classes on Tuesday.  A 6 week class through the Hospital, and then I will take a cloth diapering 101 class.  Hope you are all refreshed from the break, overfed, and wishing you a very Happy New Year!  

Baby Butts

How could I forget about Friday!  OOps!  Well, from Thurday night to Friday morning we got about 7 inches on snow in Madison.  I was supposed to have a doctor's appt in the am., but they rescheduled it to the afternoon.  I went to the appt., and this was my glucose test.  You drink a really sweet orange glucose drink, and then get your blood drawn 1 hr. from the completion of the drink-fun!  Baby kicked as soon as the needle went it--baby really cares about me and doesn't like it when I get pricked!  

Then I finally got into the doctor about an hour and a half after my appt. time!  Baby's heartbeat is about 140 and she could feel baby now, and the head is toward my pelvis, and I told her that baby gets into these positions where a protrusion comes out of my belly and she says that is where the baby's butt is and envisons that it is stretching out!  Oh how cute--baby's butts are so adorable! eheh.  So we are 30 weeks today, and the books say that baby is 17 inches and about 3 lbs!

Advent

This was a pretty big weekend in baby's world--we bought the crib mattress, a wool mattress pad and a cotton mattress pad, and crib sheets.  We bought all organic products for the crib from Satara--and are really excited about them!  I also sewed the bed skirt this weekend--I love weekend projects.  

We are 30 weeks tomorrow, which means 10 to go--I honestly can't believe it is almost here.  PJ asked me last night what color eyes and hair I think baby will have--my obvious guess??  Blue and Blonde!  We shall see though.  

This time of year makes me so giddy.  At Sunday school the first day of Advent, we made a chain link to count down the days of Advent.  I loved it so much that I took one home to make too.  I have been reading them to baby and Madi each morning, and each day has either a new bible  verse, a Christmas song, or an activity to do.  It has really gotten me into the Christmas spirit in such a new refreshing way.  Last year I got an Advent Calendar for Madi and behind each door was a bone, but this was no where to be found at Target this year:(  We get to spend  Christmas in Racine this year, and it will be so fun with baby Ellen there making the Christmas magic alive.  Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas with your loved ones!  And stay warm, it is -30 today here in Madison, happy 1st day of winter!heheh

Baby's Shower!

Saturday was Baby's shower in MN.  Laura Olin and Katie Mooty outdid themselves and threw an amazing shower--they thought of everything!  I am so richly blessed with amazing friends and family.  It started with some catching up, then we had a great brunch, and then played games galore!  Oh I LOVE games!  Then we opened gifts and were able to talk, and then it was wrapped up with everyone getting to choose an ornament from the tree!  I have many cherished memories with all the special people that were able to attend, we missed those who couldn't be there!  We got so many wonderful gifts-everyone is so generous.  Baby, you have a LOT of people that love you.  When I got home last night, PJ was shocked by all the gifts!  It was so fun putting everything away, I stood in front of the closet almost in disbelief that a baby will be here soon wearing those adorable outfits (they are SO small!)--now we just need to set up the crib.

Baby is getting quite big in there!  It is really moving now and does some serious shifting--I know I am going to miss these times feeling baby move in there--so I 

ponder on the moments thinking what baby is doing in there, and what it looks like--and hope it is having fun!  

It was so nice to be home though.  I hadn't been home since August.  My Mom and I got to spend a lot of quality time together, looking through my baby book, and comparing how I look now to how my mom looked pregnant wih me!  The next time I see her will more than likely be when baby is here!  I also learned the basics of knitting from a very patient teacher--thank you Laura!

It is hard to belive that Christmas is just around the corner--March will be here before we know it!